Interpretation Journal, Volume 24, Issue 2, Winter 1997 The Book of Job: A New Translation with In-Depth Commentary

Table of contents :
Introduction
Chapter 11
Chapter 15
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 32

Citation preview

The Book

of

Translation

and

Job

Commentary

Robert D. Sacks St. John's

College, Santa Fe

INTRODUCTION

We selves

Western tradition have the

of the

heir to two

ways of thought.

has formed of our est

contemplations.

deepest

and our

They

within which we

Science

versus

perhaps

less prejudicially,

Greek

Any

Religion,

Philosophy they

live,

of

clarity

Bible, it

our

different

and

is

of

often spoken of as

versus

may call it the Hebrew Bible.

both

our

deep

they have given rise to that beyond which we constantly strive the problem of

Faith. More

question

fundamentally, and of Athens and Jerusalem,

between these two

roots of our civili

virtue of the ways

that

fact

can

be

of thought.

eventually led me to the Book of Job since, of be most in contact with those problems

seemed to me to

rise to Greek

The language agree.

we

Reason

considerations as these

which gave

finding

quite

such

before they met is doubly complicated by be caught addressing the same question in they

compared with tme

the books

hence to two

were

that rarely can

Such

or of

and the

As

attempt to understand the relation

zation as

and the curse of

and

are, then, the foundation

prejudices.

to peer. The problem to which I refer

or

life

Although they sit uneasily together, the struggle between them the life behind the growth of both our daily language and

horizon

particular

blessing

ways of

much of

highest

insights

different

quite

philosophy.

text is strange and

of the

In the notes, I have

picked

difficult,

what seem

and

translators often dis

to me the three most reliable

translations that I have read, and wherever I have felt it necessary to differ

greatly from my predecessors, I have tried to give the arguments in favor of translation, insofar as I was able to reconstruct them, in order that the

each

reader might

have

have

some

basis for

forming

his

own

made reference to certain other translations

The translations I have dard Version (RSV),

Society

(JPS).'

The balance

and

I have

readers who cannot

made most use of are:

Moshe

also

interpretation, Winter

bring

King

out points of

interest.

James (KJ), Revised Stan

Greenberg's, issued by The Jewish Publication

tried to make the notes intelligible even to those

follow the Hebrew they

of this translation and

to

conclusions, and at times I

commentary

contain.

will appear

1997, Vol. 24, No. 2

in Interpretation.

Interpretation

136 I

like to

should also

tion and Mr. and

than

more

Thanks

Antony

as well

thank

both Mr. Hillail Fradkin

Sullavan

of

of

Bradley Founda for having put beans

The

The Earhart Foundation

was scratching out this my table while I put up with me to Eve Adler and those in Vermont who

volume.

beans

on

while

I

eating those beans.

was

Note The Book of Job, trans. Moshe Greenberg (Phila delphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1980); The Book of Job, Robert trans. Stephen Mitchell (San Francisco: North Point Press, 1987); 1. The

are:

references

Gordis, The Book of Job: Commentary, New Translation, and Special Study (New York: Jewish Theological Seminary of America, 1978); and Saadia on Job, trans. L. E. Goodman (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1988).

CHAPTER ONE

1 A

there was from the land of Uz and his name was

man'

simple3

2 He had

evil.

('ish),

man

straightforward

and

away from

GOD-FEARING4

three

daughters.5

head

thousand sheep, three thousand camels, ten thousand

3 He

4 His

the East.

different day,

and send word to

5 Now

them.6

with

when

to them to sanctify

word

to

sons used

of cattle,

five hun

richest man

each one on a

their three sisters to come and eat and drink

days

the

feasts in their homes,

make

was a

turned

owned seven

dred she asses and was the head of a very large estate. He was the

( 'ish) in

He

who

man

a

seven sons and

Job.2

of

themselves.

feasting

had

full

gone

circle,7

Job

sent

up early in the Job for of his children; Thus did Job GOD in their

He himself

would

get

"Perhaps,"

morning to

"my

said

of

all

children

his

days.9

before THE 7

burnt

make

have sinned,

6 One

LORD,"

"Well,"

said

day

Satan to THE LORD,

for

a

man14

my

the

('ish),

hearts."

cursed8

Sons

Satan12

the

of

GOD

came

to

themselves10

present

a

no one

answered

around

said

like him

GOD-FEARING

9 Then the Satan

came

"wandering

8 Then THE LORD

Job. There is

ward man

and

each

along with them. THE LORD to the Satan "where have you and

the

walk."13

for

offerings

Earth, just

Earth. He is

"Oh,"

said

went

to the Satan "Did on

been?"

you

down

there to go

happen to

notice

a simple and straightfor evil."

away from "What, do you think that

man and one who turns

THE LORD

and said:

nothing? 10 Haven't you been protecting him and his everything that he has. You have blessed all his labors, and every thing he owns is spreading out all over the land. 11 But just reach out your hand to take it away and he will curse you to your face for

Job FEARS GOD for

house,

and

sure."

12 "Well

right,"

all

just don't hurt LORD.

said him."

THE LORD, "all that he has is in

Then the Satan

went

out

from the

your

hands now; of THE

presence

137

The Book of Job 13 One

day,

in the house

of

his

when

sons and

their oldest

his daughters

brother, 14

were

and

eating

Job

a messenger came to

drinking and

wine

said; "The

them, 15

when the plowing grazing Sabeans attacked, taking them all and putting the boys to the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell 16 While he was still talking, another one came in

and the asses were

oxen were

alongside

thee."

and

said, "The fire

and

devoured them;

still

talking,

companies,

of

GOD fell from heaven. It burnt the sheep and shepherds I alone have escaped to tell 17 While he was thee."

and

down

the sword; and I alone another one came

drinking

in

down

on the

have

and

and said:

thee."

escaped to tell

said; "Your sons of

They

people.

daughters

brother, 19

sent out three

I

and

was yet were

talking,

eating

and

wind"

when a

the four corners

dead,

are

18 While he

and your

their oldest

wilderness and struck

young

"The Chaldean

the camels, carried them off and put the boys to

on

in the house

wine

in from the

came

in

yet another one came

poured

of

have

alone

mighty

fell

the house. It escaped

to tell

thee."

20 Then Job

up and tore his cloak, shaved his head, and fell to the 21 He said; "Naked I came out of my mother's belly THE LORD gives, and THE LORD takes; return

rose

ground and worshiped.

there.'6

and naked

I

blessed be

the name of THE

shall

sinned or even charged

GOD

LORD."

with

22 But throughout

that Job never

all

folly.

Comments

1

.

fact,

We

must remember

four

there are

translated

by

the English word

and perhaps should so

that the whole story begins with the word A

only because

"man."

is

another word, "hero,"

more

One,

have been translated

there

properly translated as

man.

In

the text which might all roughly be

words used throughout

gebher, speaks of man in his might, "hero."

as

closely

I have

though our word

is

from

refrained

to

related

it,

doing

gibbor, which

well on

is

the way. This

be especially tme here, since the form gibbor never actually (gebher). the Book of Job I have used the form

appears

might

in

"man"

Another

is enosh of which I will have more to say in in all his frailty. I have translated it as

later

a

word

note.

It

"mortal."

speaks of man

The third word, 'adam, tends to be sense, and at times I have translated it

however, I have

mally,

Our

word

'ish is

used

the form

used

by

our author

"mankind,"

or as

as

"man"

of unknown origin.

Some think that it "weak."

"man."

is

an

'ish,

hero,

man."

Nor

comes

It is the

can raise to

times be no more than an enosh, but

from

a root

common word

the state of the

finally

and

fully, he

a man.

2. There sounds

and at

a more generic

('adam).

meaning "to be strong"; others take it to mean The Book of Job is about a man who for gibbor, a

in

"some

once was a man

like the

beginning

from of

the

some

land of Uz, wonderful

and

fairy

his

name was

tale, full

Job. It

of noble

all

and

138

Interpretation

wealthy men from the mysterious Land word for can also mean "east"

East. In the Hebrew language the

of the

up the dream

"ancient,"

and conjures

of a child's

notion of wisdom and valor.

Chapters 1, 2, and 42 differs markedly from that found in the central part of the book. Reading it is like turning from Dick and Jane to Shakespeare, and I have tried to reflect that difference in the translation. Most The language

believe that it

scholars

is

not clear

hand,

The

was written

by

another

more can

be

its

said of

hand,

and perhaps

literary

repetition, gives it a kind

other

effect.

the text, both with regard to

childlike nature of

it was; but it

historical knowledge. On the

to what extent one can have such

little

a

of

its diction

and to

the use

feeling, especially reality felt in the rest of the text. The banter between God and Satan only adds to this feeling. It is almost the classic comic situation in which bad things happen to good people and in the end everybody lives more than of

when contrasted

of never-never

with the stark

happily

ever after.

Whether it

trials;

folk tale

was an old

later thinker felt

or whether a

or even whether

it

introduce his work,

which the author used to

for

a need

some

himself

was the author

kind

of comic relief after such

who saw the

last

chapter as the

is something we shall probably never know. In the course of these notes, however, I shall try to show that Job's final acceptance of the comic is part of the most serious intent of the book. true culmination,

3. The

word tarn

4. The

lated

FEAR. Pahad

as

we

to our understanding

or

6. The

because they

next

thing

we see

"feasting"

served, the

comes

fact that

of

for the divine,

respect

is

have

always

word

"to

invited We

had

parties.

and

would seem

it

wealth.

lose the

7. The Hebrew

they

not

the

makes

wrong

day

it

if

but it is

do

year.

of

granted

note

these

From every

imply

notice of

that

word

wine was were

they

to

days

the fact that

that

they they have no

point, and in

so at this

did. See the

holidays, but simply full "blessed,"

Literally

of us to

we

clear that while

marked a special time of the

sense religious

8.

It is

spirit of

Although the

implies that

to

know,

to them.

as part of the charm of the

story that the sisters are invited and barely take any never host the parties themselves. We take it for independent

ring

a magic

drink,"

all take

of some perfection

unbalanced, I do not

family

a round of

the sisters were

have trans

as

are odd and somehow

from the

we

"fear."

wholesome and goodnatured affairs.

would

the Book of Job. For an

31:40.

daughters: Whether it is because

numbers seven and three

for

imply

have left

sons and three

felt in them,

used

central

plays see the note to

word yirah, which can

5. Seven

but the

is it

account of the role

fact

we

42:15, however.

were ample and

indication, they

were

full,

in

no

human goodnaturedness.

used euphemistically.

9. Job trusts his children, but only partly trusts goodnaturedness. He seems to have full trust in their actions, but supposes that no one is in full control of the thoughts that can flit into and out of a human mind.

139

The Book of Job 10. Mitchell's "came to While the

encounter.

keeps

in

us

does

verb

11. Here follows

list

a

imply

to capture the

a certain

friendly

amount of

God,

of the names of

the places

and

fails

still

they

the words we

have

used

to

occur:

YAHOVAH

THE LORD

elohim

GOD

1:6-2:7, 38:1-42:11 1:6-2:10, 5:8, 28:23, 34:9, 38:7

el

God

3:3-40:1

shaddai

The

adonai

The Lord

5:17-40:2

Almighty

For the moment,

the

nature of

formality, it

the party mood of verses 4 and 5.

mind of

translate them,

testify"

28:28 discussion to the first two

we shall restrict our

chapters.

LORD"

"THE

is, in the main, the one in whose presence the meeting oc curred (1:6, 2:1, 2:7) or the one speaking or directly spoken to (1:7, 1:8, 1:9, 1:12, 2:2, 2:3, 2:4, 2:6). There is, however, one important exception to this rule: 1:22

THE LORD gives,

and

THE LORD takes; blessed be the

name of

THE

LORD. "GOD,"

The

on

word

expression

"Sons He

1:1

hand,

the other

consistently

insofar

except

GOD"

of

refers

was a simple and straightforward man, a

away from evil. Then THE LORD said to

as

it is

to man's awareness

GOD-fearing

used of

in the

God.

man who

turned

2:3

Job. There is man,

1:5

no one

GOD-fearing

a

He himself each of

One

1:6

would get

day

their

of

and the

Satan

One

day

the

Sons

LORD,

and

the

Satan

LORD, 2:1

Then the Satan

1:9

But

2:9

"Curse GOD

2:10

"If

12. The

which

he is

best have

a

begin.

either

look.

GOD

came

to

away from

answered

present

man

evil."

themselves

before THE

them.

with

along GOD came to

came

present

themselves before THE

them.

with

along THE LORD

and said:

"What, do

you

think that

nothing?

Job

never sinned or even charged

GOD

with

folly.

die!"

from GOD,

has been

Clearly

using

my

and

"satan"

where to

notice

up early in the morning to make burnt offerings for Job said, "my children have sinned, and

we accept the good

know

turns

happen to

a simple and straightforward

"Perhaps,"

throughout all that

word

you

Earth. He is

came

of

Job FEARS GOD for 1:22

Satan: "Did

hearts."

Sons

the

on

man and one who

his children; for

GOD in

cursed

the

like him

or

translated

the author

toying

evil?"

must we not also accept

with.

in

has

so

many

some

But there

the

ways that

it's hard to in

mind

of them.

We'd

traditional usage

are so

many

140

Interpretation

The term first

up in the story

comes

Num. 22:21

So Balaam

in

rose

the morning, and

Moab. But God's

with the princes of

went; and the

Num. 22:32

angel of the

would

be best if the

that the angel of

is

a

being

stand

in

ass, and his

on the

activity be easy to

your

reader could reread "Satan."

complicated character.

his

as

two servants

way is

perverse

seems

a

be to

to be an

It

would

that action, because Balaam

is

a

Commentary 200ff.)

pp.

not clear

perform.

(See R. Sacks, A to

struck

me;"

Numbers 21-24, 31. It is

Rather, "being

articulation of

[Lewiston, NY: Mellen, 1990], Here, the angel's job seems

before

satan"

called

full

give a

way

said to him, "Why have you Behold, I have come forth to

the moment that any angel might be required to

not

the

LORD

these three times?

WITHSTAND you, because

It

riding

his

and went

kindled because he

him.

And the your ass

was

his ass,

saddled

anger was

the LORD took

angel of

ADVERSARY. Now he were with

Balaam:

of

on

the

Balaam from

prevent

very Book of Genesis,

doing

a wrongful

act.

In the Book seems to out

of

Samuel,

is

the term

be directed toward

another's

for

used

a man whose original

good, but

intention

whose actions nevertheless

turn

to be otherwise.

ISam. 29:4

But the

commanders of the

Philistines

the commanders of the Philistines said to that

he may

ADVERSARY to his lord? Would it

2Sam. 19:21

Abishai

to the place to

return

down

shall not go

with us us.

For how

not

be

which you

battle, lest in

to

could

the

with

this

heads

him; and back, have assigned him; he

were

angry

him, "Send the battle

fellow

with

the

he become

reconcile

of the men not

said, "What have I to

Zeruiah,

Shimei be

anointed?"

this

day

be

do

with

you, you sons of

an

himself to

here?

Zeruiah answered, "Shall death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S the son of

man

put

to

But David

that you

adversary to me? Shall any one be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king should

as an

Israel?"

over

In the Book

of

Kings,

who, unbeknownst to

1 Kings

5:4

the term

"Satan"

is

for the leaders of the themselves, become God's way of chastening His But

now the

used

LORD my God has

side; there is neither adversary

nations people:

given me rest on

nor misfortune.

every You know that

David my father could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.

The Book of Job IKings 11:13-25

"However I

will not tear

give one tribe to your son,

for the raised

Jerusalem

sake of

up

away for the

will

David my servant and And the LORD

sake of

I have

which

kingdom; but I

all the

-141

chosen."

adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he house in Edom. but Hadad fled to Egypt.

an

was of the royal

.

And Hadad found

him in

gave

favor in the

great

marriage the sister of

Tahpenes the

And

queen.

sight of

his

Pharaoh,

he

so that

wife, the sister of

own

Tahpenes bore him

the sister of

Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house; and Genubath was in Pharaoh's house among the sons of Pharaoh. But his fathers

Hadad

when

and that

said to

country."

own

Hadad heard in Egypt that David

slept with

Joab the

was

Pharaoh, "Let But Pharaoh

dead, army depart, that I may go to my to him, "What have you lacked

commander of the me

said

country?"

with me that you are now

And he

seeking to to him, "Only let me

go

to your own

go."

God also raised up as an adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his master Hadadezer king of Zobah. And he gathered men said

him

about

slaughter

there, Israel

Strangely mally

became leader

by David;

and made all the

he

and

and

him

days

abhorred

and

its way

to avoid

went

band, after the Damascus, and dwelt

marauding to

in Damascus. He

king

was an

adversary

of

Solomon, doing mischief as Hadad did; Israel, and reigned over Syria. of

enough, it is only in the Book

goes out of

of a

they

of

Chronicles,

the

book that

nor

anything that tends to appear close to the

mythic, such as the giants, that we see the Satan we know:

IChron. 21:1

Satan

Throughout the Book

Ps.

38:19

Those those

my

Ps.

71:13

Ps. 109:4

stood

up

Psalms,

of

who are

who

against

hate

adversaries

Israel,

the Satan

my foes

and

is

incited David to

the

hated hater

number

who accuses:

without cause are mighty, and

me wrongfully.

Those

because I follow

Israel.

who render me evil

many are for good

are

after good.

May my accusers be put to shame and consumed; with scorn and disgrace may they be covered who seek my hurt. In return for my love they accuse me, even as I make prayer for them.

So they

Appoint

When he is tried, let him He

counted as sin! soak

into his

body

garment which girds

himself!

LORD,

for good,

reward me evil

a wicked man against

he

him; let

come

clothed

May

this

oil

prayer

be

cursing as his coat, may it into his bones! May it be like a with

him, like

be the

hatred for my love. bring him to trial.

forth guilty; let his

himself

like water, like wraps round

and

an accuser

a

belt

with which

reward of

of those who speak evil against

my my life!

accusers .

.

.

he

daily

from

the

But thou, O

142

Interpretation GOD my Lord, deal on my behalf for thy name's sake; because thy steadfast love is good, deliver me! May my accusers be clothed their own shame as in a in wrapped be with dishonor; may they mantle!

In Zecharaia there is the Satan

Zech. 3:1

Then he of the

showed me

LORD,

and

the LORD said to

has

who

chosen

fire?"

Joshua the high

Satan standing

at

Jerusalem

Now Joshua

garments.

And the

standing before the angel hand to accuse him. And

right

rebuke

rebuke you!

cannot cleanse.

priest

his

Satan, "The LORD

the

Is

you,

O Satan! The LORD brand

this a

not

standing before the angel,

was

to those who were

angel said

him."

filthy garments from your iniquity away from

"Remove the have taken

because he

who rebukes

And to I

you, and

plucked

clothed with

from

filthy

standing before him, him he said, "Behold, I

will clothe you with rich

apparel."

Our Satan is

all of

convinced that man coat of

these,

show

face the

himself

a

bitter

of

The

rest

underneath man's

is

mere

founded. Through the

book, Satan hopes

unmediated nature of

he is

them. As we shall see,

being just. Deep

man are not well

throughout the

runs

to

none of

a thick skin of self-interest.

him, God's high hopes for were ever

he is

is radically incapable

decency lies

skin which

and

to

show

the world

show.

imagery

God that if

around

For

him, he

of

man

would

and vicious animal.

We leave Satan because

we

see

a

richer

way, but he never arouses

our

hatred. 13. He

form

verb, which normally means "a walk direct external When the text says ing any of God that He is "going for a in the garden, there is a strong implication that He has not come there intentionally for the purpose of checking up on Adam. In the same way, when God says to Abram, "Walk before me and be He wants to look at Abram's general way of being rather than at any particular goal or accomplishment. Even when He invites him to "Walk through. the land which I shall give He means to enjoy it quietly without a sense of immediate possession. about

uses the reflexive

for its

of the

goal."

own sake without

walk"

perfect,"

you,"

...

Here too, the 14.

15. The

innocence.

a certain

"servant"

or "breath,"

word can mean

16. Job's

perhaps almost

own mother and

into

Adversary is claiming

"slave"

a world

"wind,"

thoughtless

blurring

the great mother earth may

larger than the

"spirit."

or

world of man

be

of

the

seen as a

into

which

grow until

its

roots are

sturdy

first

he

say, the thought is almost thoughtless. We see it as only

it

distinction between his

a

and naive glimpse

was

born. Here

as

I

seed, yet we shall see

enough to crack the strongest

city

wall.

The Book of Job

143

CHAPTER TWO

1 One and

day

the

Satan

the

Sons

said

"Oh,"

go

for

no one

simplicity,

a man

present

themselves before THE

"wandering

been?"

you

Earth, just

around

Earth. He is

on

beguiled1

have

a simple and straightforward man

turns away from

into

me

He is

holding

still

him for

destroying

THE LORD

answered

evil.

went

a

his

nothing.

"Well, 'Skin

and said:

( 'ish)

tight to

skin!'

under2

('ish) has he will give for his life. 5 But just reach out your hand and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face for

his bones

6 "Well

LORD,

to the Satan: "Did you happen to notice my man Job.

said

like him

4 Then the Satan

and get to

to

walk."

man and one who

and you

Everything

them.

a

3 Then THE LORD

GOD-fearing

came

with

Satan to THE LORD,

said the

down there to There is

GOD

along THE LORD to the Satan "where have

"Well,"

2

of

came

sure."

right,"

all

THE LORD, "he is in

said

your

hands now; just don't kill

him."

7 Then the Satan boils from the

with

are still

10 But he good

said to

from GOD, when

as

he

Job

him, they Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamatite. They to come together to console their eyes

voices and cried. ward.

from

afar

Then

13 Seven days

spoke a word

the

never sinned

from his

him

they

in

each tore

his

saw

8

woman.

he took

and

his

Job

wife said

a

to

die!"

and

If

we accept

the

evil?"

speech.

had

come upon

Temanite,4

Bildad the

of all the evils that

him

hardly

compassion.

12 But

when

they

him.

They lifted up their threw dust over his head heaven

recognize

robe and

that

and

and struck

conferred with one another and planned

and to show could

head,3

Curse GOD

Eliphaz the

own place

and seven nights

because they

his

talk like a worthless

Job's three friends had heard

came each

raised5

crown of

tight to your simplicity.

her, "You

all that

THE LORD

in the ashes, 9

sat

must we not also accept

But throughout

11 Now

holding

presence of

his foot to the

himself

potsherd and scratched

him, "You

from the

went out sole of

sat with

him

on the ground and no one

his suffering

was

very

they

great.6

Comments

1. The root

root

Satan

like, but is

sounds

not

etymologically

connected to the

Saltan.

2. Be'ad The Hebrew phrase

"to look

Judg. 5:28

word means

out through a

Out

"away

from"

or

"out

hoofbeats

"Why of

his

as

in the

lattice."

of the window she peered, the mother of

the lattice:

through,"

is his

chariot so

long

in

Sisera

coming?

gazed through

Why tany

chariots?"

the

144

Interpretation "under,"

"beyond,"

It

and

can also mean

No

know

one seems to

in furs

Hebrew

what the

the

on

hides,

and

assumption

it is

although

it may have I have taken the Satan to mean that

the expression or how

God-fearing

of a

In light

book,

body

of the

of at

least this

one can

his

is sorely

one

phrase as

interesting

flesh,"

"Naked I

but

among

meant

by

situation.

on self-interest only.

imagery

tempted to

of skin gains throughout

believe that its

of course, that

but,

may have been

Job may have the superficial look has been scratched one will find an

based

to note that Satan

attacked

came out of

Adversary implied in inner thicker

an

well,

current

while

surface

one

Most have trans

is

not

author was

the

kind

of

the main

the author

thing

that

know.

3. It is and

man, once that

importance that the

of the

to this

applied

layer behind it

other protective

not clear what

"on behalf

or

place

expression means.

that it was a saying

skin,"

lated "Skin for traders

hence "in

5 that Job

in fact try to "get to his bones his being. Job had said

surface of

I

there."

shall return

was not as naked as

is

now out

he

pretended

to prove

The

but had

it.

"Yemen."

word will

6. So far

verse

not

and naked

coat of self-protection and

4. In English,

5. This

belly

mother's

my

did

Job's skin, the

as

be translated

one

can

"bear"

except as otherwise noted.

as

tell, the

genealogies

of

characters

seem

to be as

follows:

TERACH I

I

Sarah.

.Abraham.

Haran

.Katura

Shua

Lot

Milkah

Nahor-

Bethual

Uz

Buz

_L

1

Isaak-

-Rebekah

Esau

Jakob-

Rachel

Eliphaz

Benjamin

Taman

Na'aman

Eliphaz

Bildad

Laban

Zophar

Leah

Job

Iskah

145

The Book of Job As the

see, the Book

we can

book that tells the tale

most of

the characters

people.

This

then, insofar Job is

book

but one,

Son

of

Israel. It

also presents

as

its

Abraham

of

and the wife

Abraham, Nahor

he had taken

and

after our

had been drawn away from him and to Isaak. Eliphaz is from brother. Esau, All these men, however, come from Terach. Of him we read:

the

line

another nonchosen

Gen. 11:31

Terach took Abram his

but

Terach, grounds,

land

of

the

they

when

common

saw or

felt in

came

to

son and

of those

to go

into the land

Canaan;

of

settled there.

the

was

leaving

be heirs to

...

Haran, they

grandfather,

need of

Canaan, but, because

the men, then, seem to

man

grounds, did

purely human

on

who,

his father's house

and of

going to the Three of

not go all the way.

such a tradition.

The last to join the discussion, Zophar, is of

book,

principal subject matter a

attention of

to that

related

the matter somewhat. This

two nonchosen brothers of

of the

aware of

will not change even when we meet the next

will complicate

descendent

a

being tangentially

as

being tangentially

as

human world, has than the Torah.

descendent

a

all

speaks of a

much wider world

Haran. Bildad is

itself

presents

of the genesis of the

it

although

it

as

Job

involved,

aspect of the

Elihu,

character,

of

either a son or perhaps a grandson

Benjamin.

CHAPTER THREE

1 Then, Job 3

"May

the

opened

day

of

his

spurned'

mouth and

my birth be

lost2

in

it; 5 but let

cloud

dwell

darkness5

consume that night

into the

number of

with no sound of

determined to

lay

4

it

seek

and

the Shadow of

open

warms8

that which

joy in it. 8

dawn open, 10 for it

eyes

from

May

out nor

in

day

be

Death6

which

a

any brightness

radiate

the

Those

who

Leviathan10

closed not the

redeem7

despise the sea9,

will

curse"

doors

and those who are

it. 9 Let its morning stars May it not see the eyelid

none.

of

my

mother's

belly

but hid my

toil.12

11

Why did I not come out of the womb and die, exit the belly and 12 Why were there knees to receive me, and what were those breasts to

perish?13

I

should

I

could

have

have

rebuild ruins

their

day

it of

the

darken. Let it hope for the light, but let there be of

night

that

it, and may a it. 6 Let the murk day terrify May that it not be counted among the days of the year or enter its months. 7 Thus shall that night become hard and sterile

it.

above

answered and said

it that

conceived4.'

was said 'A MAN (GEBHERf has been darkness. May God from on high not upon

his day. 2 Job

oblivion and with

houses

me that

13 Else would I have been at ease and had my quiet. 14 had my rest with kings and counselors of the earth, who for themselves, 15 or with princes who had silver and yet filled sucked?'4

slept and

with gold.

16

Why

was

I

not

like

a stillborn

hidden away

or as a

Interpretation

146

scion that never came

there rest those whose

they do

not even

is free

the slave

20 bitter

of

for it

more than

soul?16

hear the driver's

all15

19 Small

voice.

and

great,

there,

are

and

his lord.

of

Why does

into the light? 17 There the guilty cast off their rage and at ease for power is spent. 18 There prisoners are wholly

He

give

light to those

21 to those

for

who wait

for death

subterranean treasure?

22

has consumed,

toil

whom

when there

whose

is

delight

life to the

or

none? or who reaches

dig

exaltation,

because they have found the grave? 23 or to a man (gebher) whose way has been lost and whom God has hedged about? 24 Sighs do as my bread and my roaring pours out as water. 25 I feared a fear and it came to pass 26 I was not at ease, I was not quiet, I and what I dreaded has come upon and who rejoice

me.17

had

no rest,

came."

but

rage

Comments 1. The Hebrew

word

literally

means

"to

light

make

of,"

and

does

not neces

sarily imply that the object is animate. 2. Throughout we have distinguished between: ne'ebhad

to be

math

to die

lost

gawa'

to perish

"To be is"

lost"

(my

thing

has the double

often

hat is lost, it is

nothing is, and hence (I am lost, I am in a can

best be

Abaddon,

ing

seen

by

it

not where

should

(1) "not being where every be) or (2) of "being where thing"

of

being

out of contact with

strange place where

every other person I should not be). This side

remembering that our word ne'ebhad

the place of oblivion. This

"To

given passage.

any

significance of

ambiguity is

perish,"

on

the other

is

of

things

related to the word

often critical

hand,

or

for

understand

often comes close to

be."

meaning "to vanish, to cease to 3. Others say or was tempted in that direction in order to "male"

"man-child."

"Hero"

may be

a

bit too strong, but I

bring out the great feeling of joy which the word implies must have been felt that day by all the members of Job's family. Such a translation would have better served to bring out the irony of the verse. The very being of a hero lies in his being remembered, but for Job, this day and everything in it is to be forgotten. Mitchell's "night that forced me from the on that

This

womb,"

day

loses

all the poignant contrast

and the secret

horrors it

between

the great

joy

felt

by

all

contained.

sentence will echo and re-echo

as we shall

see, is

can obscure a

throughout the whole. The Book of Job, play between the way in which a lovely surface and the way in which our view of the deeper intent

a constant

darker

center

of things can obscure our view of

their simple surface.

4. Sa'adiah, in his translation into

lates "bom is

a

.

.

Arabic,

with some real

and even cites some parallel

texts.

justification

While there

can

trans

be little

147

The Book of Job

doubt that Job is indeed thinking of the day of his birth, it may be important to retain the fact that he speaks of it in terms of its more hidden causes. 5. Seven times "darkness"

during

There

and others all

human

saying

abandoned

from

should

also

day

have

ever

in hopes that it, his

like

words

had

Job's first

seen.

host

and a

thing

contained a

beginnings,

own

verses we read the words "oblivion"

which no

is

reaction

would shrivel

to let

it be

be

gone

and

up

of

eye,

sight.

6. Salmaweth is and moth,

possibility of abounds. This

speak of

by

Ps.

"an

Unlike English, Hebrew

compound nouns would argue

On the

a place.

word, coming from the two

a compound

"death."

lem

are

if that

the same, as

divine,

or

first ten

the course of these

"night."

hand, it is

other

Einstein."

seeing how the

23:4

for the

is

no evil;

for

not allow

is the

the

where

it

proper name of

became generic, as we better feeling for the prob

possible that the name reader can get a

Book

used outside the

Even though I

I fear

sal,

of proper nouns

case

notion that salmaweth

Perhaps the word

does

grammar

in the

except

"shadow"

roots

Shadow

through the valley of the

walk

for

Job.

of

thou art with me;

thy

rod and

thy

of

Death,

they

staff,

comfort me.

Ps.

44:18

Our heart has

thy

turned

not

and covered us with the

Ps.

Some

107:10

back,

in darkness

sat

God,

Shadow

of

our steps

departed from

and spurned

Death,

Most High. Their hearts

the counsel of the

in

prisoners

the words of were

with

Then they cried them from their distress; he brought of

of

rebelled against

hard labor; they fell down, with none to help. to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered

bowed down

Shadow

jackals,

of

Death.

in the Shadow

and

in irons, for they had

affliction and

the

have

nor

way, that thou shouldst have broken us in the place

Death,

LORD for his

and

them out of

broke their bonds

love, for his

steadfast

darkness

asunder.

Let

and

the

them thank

wonderful works

to the

sons of men!

Isa.

9:1

But there

will

be

no gloom

former time he brought into land way The

of

Naphtali, but in

of the sea, the

dwelt in

a

the latter time

he

in

anguish.

of

Zebulun

was

land

land

in darkness have

of the

Shadow

of

In the

the

of the nations.

light;

seen a great

Death,

the

and

will make glorious

land beyond the Jordan, Galilee

people who walked

who

for her that

contempt the

on them

those

has light

shined.

Jer.

2:6

They from

the

deserts

13:16

not say,

land

and

land that Jer.

did

of

"Where is the LORD

Egypt,

pits, in

a

who

land

of

led

us

who

brought

in the wilderness, in

drought

and

us

a

up land

the Shadow of Death

of

in

dwells?"

none passes

through,

where no man

Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into

gloom and makes

it

the

Shadow

of

a

Interpretation

148

Death. But if your

5:8

He

the

will weep bitterly Lord's flock has been taken

Pleiades

the morning, and

is his

At any rate, if it is a place, it does we know it from verses like: For in death there is

Ps. 6:5

thee

Rather, it

he

which

be

darkens

for

tears,

captive.

day

the

the Shadow of

and turns

Orion,

into night,

who calls

the surface of

name.

not seem

itself

to be identical with Death

no remembrance of

on earth

thee; in Sheol

who can give

Shadow

desolation

of

and

fear

where no

it

as a

land to

he is going

which

and

return,"

"not

Well, I

full

ever near.

at one time will speak of

will

Job 10:21

here

a place

death is

and

Although Job

from

and

secret

with

praise?

seems to

dwells

man

down

and pours them out upon

the waters of the sea,

the earth, the LORD

as

weep in

and run

who made the

Death into for

soul will

pride; my eyes

because Amos

listen, my

you will not

be going soon, going to a land of darkness and the Death and I will not return; to a land that glows in murk,

will

of

Death

the Shadow of

a

and without order

land

whose radiation

is

murk.

At

other

can

times he thinks of

be brought

He

unveils

Shadow

He

Job 28:3

and

7.

yig'alehu:

things

out

into

from the

The Torah was the

of

duty

Gersonides cumstance

duty

of a man would

itself, but it is

everything to its limit, Death.

has

normally is

to

"claim,"

means

to

"redeem"

imply

a place

the

even to this rock of murk

"stain."

King James has frequently appears

but

"to

"redeem."

"redeem"

defile,"

or

God

his kinsman

who

"to

the

"redeemed"

Israel from

has been taken

giving

of the

that in Job's mind there

is

Law

still a place

in the

pollute,"

at

the blood of a murdered kinsman.

captive.

Sinai it

Such

for "the

they

come

far from any human habitation. both meanings are intended and that in fact in this

to the same thing. us.

By finding

At any rate, the

it"

redeem

are

very

a place

curious.

They

are the

for the discarded

words

"let

an

day"

suggests that

itself, darkness defiles it for

darkness

darkness; He leads

another word ga'al, which quite

and which

a

out of the

seems to presuppose that prior to the

interpretation

hidden things that

light.

explores

Shadow

of the word ga'al

meaning Egypt. A man has

and

deep

Death

the Revised Standard

form ga'al,

normal

within

of

[man]

the

Although there is variant

as a place which contains the

into the light.

out

Job 12:22

it

cir

day

salmaweth

first beginnings

of a

thought which will

They imply have been,

darkness, it

a place where

149

throughout the whole of the

book.

early stage, Job dreams of a place, perhaps only in where there is room for the day which should not

that even at this

the gloom and the

itself

transform

grow and

The Book of Job

be itself; but for now, it is merely

can

a

passing is quickly dropped. 8. It would be hard to find many works of which the Italian expression traduttore tratore is more tme than the Book of Job. It is obscure both in word thought and

and

in

grammatical

whole of the

form.

Many

words

kimmerire

The

appear

once

and

never again

in the

literature.

word

could come

"bitter,"

from the

root mrr or

but

that

is

grammatically unlikely. The more likely root is kmr which can mean either "to or "to Usually it is taken in the former sense, like a cloud or

blacken"

warm."

But

an eclipse.

since

Job is thinking of those and dead tree stumps. "day,"

9. Or

10. The mentioned

but the

Leviathan, in three

fear

men

many

connection with the will

Isa.

27:1

And

on that

74:14

You

crushed the

people of

Ps.

day

toward the

Leviathan,

develop feelings The

question

to

whom you

at

least if

we are

"lay

man can

of quite a

I

would

different

.

day by

one

open and under which

like to

suggest that the

Not the

in

order

same word as

12. Mitchell's "from this Job

the

should

made

has been

it is

as

food to

the

go the ships; and

to play with.

God is

not the

stripped

have been.

bad

child

not yet clear whether we are to

Leviathan"

or whether we might not

hand

God

of

and

tigers,

so that on that

day

and

the

do they have a certain beauty of frightful beauty, and yet one to which

man? or

a

he first leams to be

Book

of

Job is

to discover

found in

verse

man?

an account of a man's attempt

under which welkin

1

justice lies.

.

sorrow,"

sees the world at this point.

which

it

sort.

truly become a world for apart from all human need,

to face this ambivalence

11

gave

is: Are the frightful things in nature, "the lions

be destroyed

be

have

to assume that

open the

world might

their own

the Leviathan.

beasts. There

small and great

and so at this point

admire those who would

bears,"

shall punish

the Leviathan and

of

see, there is a certain ambivalence within the biblical tradition

breaks his toys,

who

Lord

the

head

Leviathan

there goes the

we can

likely.

described in Chapter 40, is

the great and wide sea, wherein are creeping things

innumerable, both

As

more

makes

island.

the

So is this

104:25

fully

more

under rocks

"sea"

Leviathan

that

in the Bible:

other passages

Ps.

be

likely

would seem more

that fear the sunlight and crawl

creatures

which

it

these things

loses

The

away for Job,

the all-pervasive character of toil as

world

is full

and now

he

of

must

blind Promethean hope

lead

a

life

which never

150

Interpretation

13. In we see

way, the changes, or we

a certain

take place in Job throughout the book

"Naked I

1:21

of

Job

3:9

it

belly

did You

Why

The womb,

one

to be lived

To the

dutifully

in time full

Small

Job 3:19

Insofar more

as

it

eyes

belly

exit the

me out of

from toil.

name

the

belly

Job, life is

comic

and then

To be is

be

not to

was the source of

as

to the grave.

gift,

with

death,

almost a

and not to

as

flight

if nothing

of

fancy,

nothingness

yet

is

be is to be. Life is

a

an

distinctions.

there,

all are

great,

be,

not come

as though

left. To the troubled Job,

of meaningless

and

a

Why

did I

Had I only perished I had not been,

womb?

to see me. I would

the gates

closed not

and perish?

place, seems almost contiguous

comfortable nothingness. aberration

dawn open, for it

I had been led from the

a quiet

ness were the norm.

shall return

THE LORD takes; blessed be the

die,

bring

without ever an eye

though

I

mother's

and

but hid my

out of the womb and

Job 10:18

and naked

my

the eyelid of

not see

mother's

my

belly

is:

set of musings

LORD."

THE

May of

came out of

THE LORD gives,

there.

are

belly. The first

and those of others on the womb and the

Job

that say the education, musings reflected in his own

might even

his

and the slave

own generative

is free

of

his lord.

power, it meant nothing

to him than the source of hatred and contention:

Job 19:17

My I

Job 24:20

breath is

repulsive to

my wife,

and to the sons of

my

belly

own

loathsome.

am

The

The others, too,

forget him

womb will

except

for Bildad,

and the worms will

saw

find him

nothing there but empty

sweet.

rage.

Eliphaz Job 15:1

Then Eliphaz the Temanite even answer such

blustery

answered and said:

fill his

thoughts and

Should

own

belly

a wise man with

the

east

wind?

Job 15:35

Their

Job 20:20

Since he knew

belly brews

deceit. Zophar

escape; there

will

no peace

be

from his belly, nothing dear to him shall enjoy it and thus nothing of his

no survivor to

merit shall endure.

Job 20:23

As he is upon

him

about to

and rain

fill his belly, God

down

upon

him

will send out

even

to his very

His

burning

bowels.

Elihu Job 32:18

I

am

full

of

words, and the

wind

in my

belly

presses upon me.

anger

The Book of Job In Job's

The

way.

recollections and musings on the

Job 31:15

Did

not

Did He

Job 31:18

By

beginning

womb was the

He

From my

the end of the

in the

us

mother's

book,

however,

things

in my

mother's

belly

belly

I

the womb or

stranger, and more violent, but

at

had

it is

awe of

But

at all times

him

make

as well?

same womb? was their mother's guide.

belly has

become for Job

for the reader, that mighty, turbulent, and often ferocious source there has emerged a world full of life and living creatures, a ever seen.

that

were not

of all that was warm and near:

who made me

form

not

past,

-151

times

out of which

larger,

world

tender, than any

more

curiously

and perhaps

breathtakingly beautiful,

man

and we stand

in

frost

of

that which does not know us.

Job 38:29

From

what

does ice emerge,

belly

birth

and who gave

to the

heaven? Job 40:15

But look now, here is Behemoth eats

might

14. Mitchell's

fails

to capture

the great lie of

is in

X."

For Job,

himself, in

daily

too

his belly.

his

In these

cling to life

allowing himself

by

breast.

mother's

more

act was to

is

"all"

warned about the use of the word

likely

X"

to use "men are

cases we

have

light,

innate

where

decided to

often

English

in this

would use

go with the normal

usage.

16. Man has unjust.

along with you. He in his loins. His

made

alive?"

general the reader

men are

English

I

the strength

there

were

false hope. His first

translation. Hebrew is

"all

the muscles of

at

knees to hold me, breasts to keep me the fact that Job is blaming himself for his own participation in

"why

to be attracted to

15. In

whom

fodder just like the cattle, but look

and yet events.

a certain

no

man

it is in

Would

much sense

can

an

sense

ignore that light

of what

as

long

is just

as

and

God

constant opposition to the manifest will of

we not

be better

off without that

to make no sense, and yet

it

what

he finds it

light? The

makes no sense.

is

within as seen

world makes

If Job had

no

reason, the world would no longer look unreasonable, and he could sleep more soundly.

17. Here Job

birth

seems to admit that

was not total and absolute.

the surface of the world

made

Even

the

beguiling

character of the

when things were

sense

to

him, he

was

going

uneasy.

looked too Hollywoodan to him. Good things happened to bad things happened to bad ease.

Seeing

no reason

known that if there he

and

God

people so

far

for perfection, he

were no reason

would come

to blows.

as

he

was

behind it, it

could

well

tell,

distrustful. He could not

last,

of

Perhaps it

good yet

day

for him

he

his and all

people, and was not at

seemed to

have

and that one

day

152

Interpretation

These thoughts had

fear. Job's

of unarticulated

to Job not in the form of thought, but in the

come

discontent arises,

present

it

sudden realization that the surface of the world as

harmony

out of

tion? Job had always

importance

day

come

formed

by

felt, felt in

the

form

fear,

of

of the simple world of appearance as

into

lay

the wisdom of the ages. But how

with

his understanding the fathers handed down from

the wisdom of

that realiza

commitment

before

lay

the

before him has fallen

his

of that

conflict with

it, from

sees

sudden was

that

it

he

as

form

to the

man would one

as

world

it had been

the ages.

CHAPTER FOUR

1 Then Eliphaz be

disciplined2

always

has found

being

innocent

far

I

as

hope,

see,4

can

from God,

10 An

old

can one speak and

words?

3 It

come upon

you,

and

6 But may

FEAR itself be

been

upright

annihilated?

those who plow evil and sow tribulation reap them. and

they

lost;

are

a puff of

his

nostrils6

were

wearisome.

7 Think back now,

ways?3

lost? Where have the

knees that

it is indeed

not that

had the

you who

and they're

It

your who

8 So

9 One

finished.

lion may roar and the savage lion give voice, but the teeth of that will be broken. 11 The lioness is lost for lack of prey, and the

ones will

14 Fear

it has

was you who

lion

trace, 13

be

scattered.7

in

as one gropes

12 A

breath fluttered

could not recognize

or a man

18 If He

19

what of those who

He

will crush

Forever they them10

are

and

lost

more pure

in His

a moth.

20

and no note

they die

house

a

and of

They

before my eyes, a mortal be

17 Shall

than his

servants9

dwell in

them like

a shape there

a voice saying:

(gebher)

put no trust

deep

trembling, making all my bones to quake. 15 A me fixing each hair upon my flesh. 16 It halted. I

its form, just

Then I heard

was silence.

his God?

over

but my ear caught only sleep falls upon mortals.

word stole upon me

a night vision when

came upon me and a

of a

under

2 "How

from

many frail hands, 4

the simplicity of your

was ever

breath5

spirited

now

you out and you are stunned.

and your

surety,

wisp

who can refrain

and strengthened so

bend. 5 But

about to

a

But

to pick up those that were stumbling and bolster the

words

young

the Temanite answered and said,

wearisome?'

than

more

just

than

maker?8

whose

folly,

foundation is but dust?

beaten from morning till rope is pulled

is taken. 21 Their tent

without

then there

to His angels lays charge of

clay,

are

and

more

evening. out

from

reason."

Comments 1. It is

of utmost

Eliphaz begins was that made

importance to

the genuine good will with

in that way can we catch friends turn against Job so brutally.

to speak.

loving

note

Only

which

a glimpse of what

it

The Book of Job 2. See

33:15.

to

note

3. Eliphaz first tries to

Job into

pull

his

being

old

self.

From his way

understanding, Job's questioning indicates that he has forgotten his

has taken be

"FEAR"

normally

right,

if so, the

and

is

are and so

6.

my

look different to "nose."

in Hebrew, but they by Gordis. He may be

are taken

they

remark

not

a man who

is

the fact that

unaware of

totally

"simple."

tarn,

not

"wind,"

word can mean

Literally

actions seem to

may be ignored. If, on the other hand, the right, Eliphaz is not simply using a thoughtless id

rest of

"breath,"

5. The

of

He

common enough

majority of translators are iom. The words may imply that Eliphaz is the world may

simplicity.

longer trusted turns into fear.

no

ra'iti"

saw,"

"when I

mean

(pachad). For him the two

of one who

"ca'asher

words

"fear"

(yirah), for

identical. FEAR

almost

4. The

-153

"spirit."

or

Usually

used to

"anger,"

signify

and often translated as

such.

7. At this

of

begin to

point we can

For Job's friends

for Job

and

see

as well the

Eliphaz pulling away from his friend. only proper home for man is the home

man, the home of man as it has been defined

The only

proper concern

for

man

is his fellow

by

the wisdom of the fathers.

Not to be

man.

home

at

that world is to be an outcast and a man of sin. Throughout all of what

within

follows

constantly remind ourselves that our daily lives depend upon such a world. Only in that way can we begin to understand why good men might turn brutal when that world is suddenly found to be under attack. But for Job that we must

world

has begun to

crack.

Job

deeply

believes in

just God

a

the just in meaningless pain. The wise men have assured out

for the best, but it does

This moment,

belief,

as

confusion,

we

and

turns the world upside

understanding

see, is not one of

when

one of these

seen

and

curiosity, but

of

anger modem optome

with a pair of glasses

that

the world of perception at odds with their

they have

known to

always

book,

worlds, the

the world of the surface where the

we shall

wisdom of

the

innocent die in

world

keeps

When

speech cannot come together with the

blasting

like the

they have been fitted

there are no glasses. Throughout the

home, first in

doubt

calm

a rage more

down, leaving

of the world

him

he has

that all will work

not.

indignation,

trists tell us that men feel

and yet

into the other,

inverting

call see

home; but

Job trying to find a then in the other,

fathers,

pain and suffering.

it

this time

and

pulling it

But

out of

each

focus.

world, it gives way to anger, rage,

and madness.

8. Eliphaz has

posed the central question of the

even make sense?

Is there any

standard

for justice

book. But does the

apart

from the

the light of which His actions can be inquired into? Even if there relation to what we not to

humans feel

be the same, what, then, is

that all this is a terms? He

is

as

being

the status of

question which must

not yet

ready for it.

just

question

will of

is,

God in

what

is its

If they should prove those human feelings? Job knows and unjust?

be faced

one

day, but how

and

in

what

154

Interpretation "slaves."

9.

or

10. In

In itself the Human be

looks

like

a

It is

he has

raised.

implicitly

hostile to human life. essentially

not

human

cannot

outer surface pin

of a

pull

mere

the

at

which

its

by

all no more than a tent which

structure, but

solid

question

which remain within the plane of the

for justice

concern.

much

can

flat.

crumple out

11. It is

is totally indifferent, if

world

concerns

divine

of

18 Eliphaz begins to face the

verse

is pulled,

the tent rope

to the fact that they died

or

in

this phrase refers to the thoughtless way

unclear whether

without

which

understanding

why.

CHAPTER FIVE

1

"Cry

Is there

out!

3 I have

anyone

seen the

fool take

back from help.

shrank

were

nor

and

jealousy

hungry

devour

shall

9

who accomplishes

10 He

into the

fields,6

great

beyond

11 He

can raise the shattered the

despondent devices

dashes headlong. 14

those contorted ones

in the noonday

sun as

if it

downtrodden

will

17 Indeed, the

on

the

of

7 but

a

and put

my

matter

marvels which

before

have

no

the earth and sends water

high giving sanctuary

to the

and their own

hands

crafty

They

bonds

have hope,

happy

is the

of the

and the mouth of

God

mortal whom

Almighty; 18 for He

wounds, but His hands heal. 19 seven no evil will touch you.

darkness

encounter

by day

and

15 But the needy He saves from from the hand of the mighty. 16 The

were night.

the cutting edge of the sword, and the poor

for

of

ground:

upwards.

inquiry,

face

from

6 Evil does

them. 13 He traps the wise in their own craftiness as the advice of

cannot save

grope

deeds

dunce.2

out

taking

wealth.4

panting does tribulation sprout from the

who gives out rain over the

12 He has

mournful.

even

after their

('adam) is born to tribulation sure as sparks fly 8 Nonetheless I would make my appeal to GOD

number.

ones will

into his hut. 4 His sons suddenly beaten at the gate; and to save them there

man

that5

holy

murder a

entered3

shall go

thirsty

dust

not come out of the

fool

a

root and

They

the thorns: and the

kill

can

5 All he has harvested the

was none. under

to answer you? To which of the

2 For indignation

now?1

turn

you

From

six

injustice

will

disciplines,

causes pain,

troubles He

be

stopped.

that has no

contempt

but He binds up, He deliver you, even in

will

20 In famine He

will redeem you from death, and When tongues scourge, you will be secure and shall have no FEAR of violence when it comes; 22 but at violence and starvation you will laugh. Have no FEAR of the beasts of the earth, 23 for

in

war

from the

power of

you

have

a

will

bring

you peace.

covenant7

tend to your seed will

be

flock9

the sword. 21

with the rocks

24 You

and

will

be

in the

field,

certain of

and the

harmony

in

beasts8

your

of the

fields

tent. You shall

amiss.10

25 You shall know that your offspring will be as the grass of the earth. 26 You in full vigor like a whole shock of wheat

nothing

will go

great and your

shall come to your grave

standing

tall

The Book of Job in the time

its harvest. 27 We have

of

know for

you shall

searched

it out,

and thus

155

it is. Listen

and

yourself."

Comments 1. It is

unclear

implication

seems

but the exactly what Eliphaz means by "the holy to be that nothing within the world as Job knows it can be ones,"

holy. Within the limited between

man and

world open

unfriendly

nature.

to human comprehension there is nothing

Job's

his

questions will go unanswered and

cries unheard.

2.

there is

Normally

distinction

a

between the 'awil (fool)

made

who

is

morally guilty, and the peteh (dupe), but for Eliphaz the difference is irrelevant. Well intentioned or not, the frustration which must arise out of

considered

daily if

defeat in the unfriendly

world

3.

holy

must

lead

to

destructive

"pierced."

Literally

4. The text is very obscure. 5. "He will crush them like God

appeal to

Job

phaz and

in the

is

that lacks the

not self-destructive anger.

and put

accept these two

always time

for trust,

It is the

standing.

God

same

into the

sends water

and so

not nature as

fields"

it

looked 1

who

upon as

fearful

simply

would make my [5:8]. While both Eli

.

world

they live

together snugly in two. To Eliphaz there

all things make

like

itself

presents

"gives

sense, but for

Job,

to

leads only to madness. the plane of human under

a moth

within

out rain over the

face

of the earth and

that "can raise the despondent on high giving sanc

But this

Berith,

.

they rip his

for him

mournful."

to the

tuary

.

statements, for the one other

to one who can crush them

make an appeal

6. Nature is

[4:19]/ "Nonetheless I

before that God

matter

my

world, but for the

same

moth."

a

can

be

a part of given

the word used

only by those for whom nature, but as a marvel. seen

for Abraham's

covenant with

God;

is

rain

peace

not

in this

is only achieved by a divine covenant with the rocks and the beasts. Threatening boulders are not held back in their places by any innate most

forces lished

be found

to

by

But

world

within the rock

all of

Job's

pear to naked man.

face

of

itself, but by

the God who answers those

seem

divine to

covenant

They imply taking

to suffer.

goes

If

up,

seriously

that dogs

arguments

freely

estab

him.

arguments presuppose the relevance of the

things; that fire

sometimes

a

who come

what we

bark,

presuppose

and

have that

way things ap called the sur

innocent

intelligibility,

then

men

Job's

way things are in themselves. In something like natures in the ancient sense,

arguments presuppose the relevance of the other words, or

laws

they

of nature

presuppose either

in the

It is hard to know to have been

modem sense. what extent or

aware of such an alternative.

in whatever vague way Eliphaz could It is clear, however, that he knows that

Interpretation

156

beasts obey

the notion that the rocks and

covenant

a

into

deeply

cuts

Job

s

words.

8.

living

things

9. Greenberg: "When

wife."

you visit your

"sin."

10.

Literally

CHAPTER SIX

1 Then Job weighed, my

Almighty

the

in

are

bellow

are

like

8 Who

see

10 That

would

taste.3

have any in my daily

One.5

11 What I

end that

come

sourcefulness

of

it

truly be raise

up

care, 4 for the arrows of

My

eaten without salt or

does

soul refuses to touch them.

bread.4

request comes

light;

to

that

God

me, loose his hand

grant

my

and cut me

Let me spring up in my have I disavowed the words of the

to me as compassion.

for

never

have I, that I should wait in expectations? What is prolong my life? 12 Is my strength the strength of a rock?

strength

should

my Do I have flesh

7

were pleased to crush

writhing though He spare me not;

Holy

is tasteless be

what

it that my

to

would

venom.2

white

egg

a contagion

will

speak without

3 then

The terrors of God my spirit drinks in their 5 Will the wild ass bray when there is grass? Does the

hopes? 9 Would that God off!

And thus I

his fodder? 6 Can

at

the slime of an

They

out together on a scale!

me and

are arrayed against me. ox

laid

seas.1

the sands of the

even

said, 2 "Would that my indignation could

answered and

calamities all

bronze? 13 No, I have

has been driven

no

support within me and all re

out.6

14 To those in despair, the kindness of friends is due but the FEAR of the Almighty has forsaken them all. 15 My brothers have betrayed me like a wadi, dry.7

a

running brook that has gone They hide themselves in

black.8

they

vanish

from their

place.

the vastness and are lost.

16

They crystal over with ice and invert to They thaw and disappear. In the heat beds twist and turn. They flow out into

17

snow.

18 Their

19 The

caravans of

Tema look to them; the band from

Sheba hopes for them, 20 but find themselves lost because they arrived and were

21 So

now you are as

22 But did I

trusted.9

confounded.10

nothing

and at sight of

terror,

you

have taken

They

FRIGHT."

say to you 'Give me'; 'Offer the bribe for me out 'Deliver 23 me from the hand of the foe"2 wealth'; or 'Redeem me ever

of your

from

hands

of the most

24 Teach

me and

I

will

25 How forceful honest you!

26 Are

despairing

you

man

the

terrifying'?

hold my

words

busy devising

peace.

are, but a proof

an orphan or sell out a

show me where

I have

erred

l3

what proofs are

in

to be no more than the

Only

words while

wind?'4

they that come from taking the testimony of a

27 Would you cast down friend? 28 Come, face me; I'll not lie to you

even

The Book of Job 29 Stop, I

beg

not

palate

my

Let there be

you!

is

smacks of what

right.15

no

30 There is

know the taste

injustice. Give in! For injustice

no

on

yet

my tongue,

157 stand

my

and yet

does

ruination."

of

Comments 1. Job has

5:8,

almost no answer

for Eliphaz. As

began to

we

in the

see

note to

the parts can be stated and agreed upon. But their relationships to one

another, whether or even what

Job

they lie

kinds

Eliphaz may

and

in peace,

together

in

or contend

things can or cannot lie

of

not

be

anguish and

together, Job's anguish, then,

able to share.

in anger,

those are things

which

be laid

cannot

out on a common scale.

2. The

word

for

also means

the story. Job presents

feelings

himself

today,

after

It is

sponsible"

drinking

in the

play

pretty

good

idea

an

important

are still

far from the thought

of which

and

about what

originally

for Job. Through the in the

Job back into the

immediacy

in

behind the Latin causa, something like "to be re

verse

6 the

immediacy

of the

the example of taste, one can see

of

concept of cause and

effect, taken in that sense, to

plane, the world of growing

surface

of

lying

meant

and one can see

in

intelligible.

how Job thinks

of

role

His thoughts

venom-fury.

contraditory, but they

guilty,"

the power that exists pull

not so

Greek aitia, both or "to be

concept

give a

and will

the coming to be of philosophy, would call the relationship

cause and effect. or the

as

are complicated and even

3. Verses 5 through 9 we

"fury,"

"venom"

dogs, temporary joys and undeserved pain. At this point in his understanding, coming to terms

com and

barking

of

him is to

experience

drinks in

the

it

as

it

shows

itself to him,

as

with

deeply

as

the world around

he can,

and so

he

fury.

Even if the others, Eliphaz and the rest, cannot see the world as Job sees it, they should be able to tell by looking at Job himself that something in the world around

him has

gone

awry, but

of course

they

cannot.

But

perhaps the surface

is

right in pointing to a only deeper wisdom underlying it. Even then, thought Job, the surface should indi cate the way just as wisdom should give solidity to the surface. But here all the surface, and perhaps the others are

after all

be

seems to

at odds.

4. This is the

like,

eaten.

The

dish; it is filled

closest that

Job

this world whose parts rejection

can come to not

is immediate

telling

the others what

his

fit together. It is like food that

and

total. But

for Job it is

not

world

cannot

just

is be

a single

the mainstay of his life. For him there is no other world which is not

with the contagion of

5 All

do

we can gather

that cleaved

his

toward the holy.

world

disparity.

from this

remark

in two, it did

not

is

that whatever

have its

origins

it

was that

in any

native

Job

saw

antipathy

Interpretation

158

6. Here Job, in his imagination, to maintain itself in the point

he is

What

metaphor

it

could

mean

simple and straightforward dry,"

the

has been

articulated

is left

reader

Job

flow

which should

Newton's

with

the

inner strength

that at this

be like

what

a wadi? and yet, once a

begins to sing

metaphor

of shame

meaning

no

very

"a running brook that has gone

of a wadi,

feeling

have

and to

for

not

having

disparate

another, the many

with

life,

and

understood what

in

ways

the

which

pour out.

clear,

they

turn hard and

can

ease,

crystal

are.

Soft

and

skipping waters, immobile. The surface of the

suddenly turn black, dark as the sea or as how it is stmck by the light; it is called

can

upon

rings.

9. Mitchell has done

When, in

simile.

a man to

in speech, the

depending

all

be dead

and trusted are not what

be

which should

Egypt's night,

for

definition

one after

holds begin to

8. Things known

ice,

with

Job knows crumbling world, but

seems to

with a slight

Then,

was saying.

metaphor

being

no such man.

7. At first the soever.

midst of a

can envisage a

Sheba,"

verse

particularly poor job of catching the 19, he replaces "the caravans of Tema a

"pilgrims,"

with

we

lose the fact that these

this

wonders of and the

band

of

knew the

were men who

desert well, its every rock and dune. If we, the readers, cannot feel their trust, we cannot feel their horror when they suddenly feel lost in a familiar land.

The

reader must remember that

himself

Eliphaz,

is addressed,

to whom this speech

Temanite. Job is trying to give Eliphaz some insight into his thoughts and feelings. He has the almost self-contradictory task of making con fusion intelligible for him. was

10. The

a

moment we

remembering that world

11.

hear Job

he, too,

he thought he knew

By translating

was able to catch the

once

had

the word

sight of

on the

words

you

for "to

help

we cannot

Sheba knew

misfortune,

Hebrew

"trusted,"

he thought he

a whole world

as well as the men of

"At the

play

pronounce

take

could

and

a

desert.

the

fright,"

see,"

trust,

"to

Greenberg fear"

in

a

most wonderful way.

The word itself has two quite meaning is "to be different meanings, both of which must always be kept in mind. On the one hand, it is an inner feeling of being cramped, or of within a and 12.

sar:

The

narrow."

root

constricting horizon. On the other hand, it can mean guity in so many ways catches the ambivalence and

living

narrow

an outward

foe. This in Job's

ambi

Is it That Old Foe pressing Job down from above? Or is it Job straining to break out of a narrow and fixed confinement?

Job, then, is also asking the from the hand of

question:

"But did I

"

narrowness?'

13. The

word used

14. Job is sion, how ever

they

knowing

Panerge

met

implies

beginning can

that

a

ever

say to

wrong done inadvertently double power of words.

to see the

distort

a world of pain

they have done

Pantagruel.

waverings

so.

It is

into

a vision of

all so

you

Words

'Deliver

me

without vi

loveliness

strangely like

soul.

the

without

first

time

The Book of Job 15. Job

him, is

know that

seems to

how

no matter

much a man

there is in each of us the slight but uncomfortable

may

feeling

159

protest against

that perhaps

Job

right after all.

CHAPTER SEVEN

1 "Does

have

not a mortal

his days like the days shadows, and like a

say 'When

shall

hired

of a

Nights

to serve here on earth and are not

duty

servant?

2 Like

he hopes for his

hireling

months of emptiness.

a term of

yearns

for the

3 So have I been

allotted

a

wages.

slave

he

have they apportioned me. 4 I lie down and night drags on and I am sated with tossing till

of toil

arise?'

I

and

twilight.'

morning 5 My flesh is hard

and

in

clothed

begins to

ooze.

maggots and clumps of

6 The days in

that never will

its fullness

10 He

arises no more.

has become

skin

the weaver's shuttle,

me swifter than

an

that sees me takes no note of me; your eye cloud that reaches to

My

empty hope. 7 Remember that life is but a the sight of happiness return to my eyes. 8 The eye

and reach their culmination wind and

fly by

earth.2

and

will not return

is

upon

me, and I am

not.3

9 As

a

is gone, so he who descends into The Pit home again, and no one there will recog

longer."

him any 11 No, I cannot

nize

stricting my

spirit.

restrain

I

speech, but

will complain

will speak out of

in the bitterness

of

my 13 When I

the

narrowness5

soul.

con

12 Am I the

sea

my bed will show me compassion and my couch bear my complaint, 14 You frightened me with dreams and terrified me with visions 15 and I preferred strangulation and

or some monster

that You set watch over

me?6

death to my own substance. 16 I have be, for my days are but the mist of a breath.

contempt.7

17 What is set thine

upon

Supposing

Why

what

have

even to myself?

am

magnify him? And that thou

me

shouldst

him?

I have sinned,

perversions?10

my but I

live forever; Let

and

Man ('adam)T

burden

will not

inspect him every morning and test him every minute. 19 When let me be? You'll not even let me alone to swallow my own spit. 20

18 Yes, will you

a mortal that thou shouldst

heart

1

said that

For

have I done to you, Oh Thou Great Watcher Of that I become a

you set me on course against you so

21

now

Why I

can you not pardon

shall

lie down in the

my transgressions or bear You will seek for me,

dust."

not."12

Comments 1. There is verses.

God is

a strange and eerie almost never mentioned

nite third person plural or

in

in them,

the passive

Kafka-like

feeling

to the

next set of

everything is stated in the indefi voice. Job presents man as feeling a

and

Interpretation

160

horrible and

duty,

sense of

alone a man must

try

to name it or

Job it has We

to

duty

absolute and almost sacred

some nameless

unknown power.

totally

This

but

and meaningless

no

is something to which, and to which life, Job feels these things, too. Some may

this sense that there

devote his

it

endow

entire

with

name; it has

no

intent

and

love

and are at

home

it, but for

with

intent.

the name of compulsion. We may want to call this feeling by these feelings within man him begin to look for the causes of

moderns

moderns would

is something beyond

that there self, but on all counts, the book suggests

man

that Job has yet to see.

2. dust 3. The Hebrew has able

a

singularly chilling

effect which

to achieve in English. The original

Partly it lies in [actually "in"]

I have

not quite

'enechah bi

reads

been

simply language: ,enechah (your eyes) bi (are upon force of the twist, however, is felt in the final we'eneni.

the simplicity of the me).

The

main

is clearly felt as one simple word, it is composed of first part, we, when it first hits the ear, simply means but follows it can suddenly and retroactively twist it into a or a "none

word, we'eneni. While it

"and,"

three parts. The

"but,"

what

theless"

or even place an

Thoughts that (For

are set

further discussion

a

The

"in

spite of

fact that

of the

in front

.

of the

first

word.

8:2.)

problem, see the note to "nought,"

second

.

up to go together are suddenly seen not to go together.

part, ain, means

"nothing,"

or

"nonbeing."

or

The third part, ni, is a suffix formed from the first The literal meaning and, as a suffix, it means

person singular

pronoun,

"my."

of the word as a whole,

(is)."

then,

would

Actually "I

be "and my nonbeing the word is not all that

uncommon.

It

often occurs

in

such phrases

straw"

and

you

"for I

in

midst,"

your but when it it suddenly dissolves the world into nothing. 4. A man caught between two worlds is a man who will wander into many worlds, or into none, looking for a home. Time, the liar, if time were not and he as

am not

stands

were

bare

giving

and alone

not, then the turmoil

he did

exist, that

not

he

then he could return to

5. But then the persuades

am not

him

would not

was a

thing

Eliphaz

feeling

again that

of

be. If Job

of

and the rest

being

could

only

the surface, was .

.

an

a superficial

only

being,

and the rest

cramped and crushed

he is. This is

himself that

convince

(see

important turning

note to

point

6:23)

itself

for Job From

his last considerations, he knows that to take his own existence seriously will require a return to the surface. That superficial world which he had rejected for the sake of human companionship must be reconsidered 6. For Job the central idea to human society, that man is ever under the care

and watchful eye of

his maker, is crippling

and

ultimately fatal

to the human

spirit.

7. This

feeling

understood

in

of contempt which

contrast to

the

he has for himself

"compassion"

which

and

for his life is

he had spoken

of

in

ve

to

be 13

161

The Book of Job These two passions,

contempt

and

polar opposites will continue to opposition will

Bed

Job,

a

lead Job to

play that

the pleasure of self-contained

and

three-dimensional world

which

Job's final

role till

a new and strange

is

kind

sleep his

feeling of being watched of being watched has so

and

being

for

own and which reflects

and

sense of

friends is

being

8. Verse 17 is Job's ironic

Job's

watched.

so great that

commentary.

its horrors, but that ever done before so far

He

was a

as

man

thing

checking up

and

let

your

The LORD

forth

the outside world of author of

his three

his dreams.

your

on

keep

the

you

going

and the son of man

of psalmlike verses

variety

which

as:

keeps Israel

keeper;

your

a

watching him, him?

foot be moved, he

who

will

keep

for

had

thoughtful and caring man

which no

that you are always

Behold, he

will

need

he knew.

will not

The LORD is

LORD

in

that even

world

sense of guilt that arises out of the

contact

9. Again, Job seems to have in mind must have been on everybody's lips, such

slumber.

of monster

ring as a psalm, while what follows in the text is For Job, one need only think the tradition through to

that you are always

Ps. 121:3

The

not.

to

meant

What is

kind

Job's inner

its watching God has become the

see

Ps. 8:4

to

need

him, but it does

some

overwhelmed

completely in his dreams he is tortured by an amorphous

speech where their

should carve out a world

all

therefore of

as

harmony.

of

the surface world that Job has seen about

supports

here

are presented

which

compassion,

LORD is from

who

keeps

you will not

will neither slumber nor sleep.

all

your shade on your

evil;

out and your

he

will

keep

right hand.

your

life. The

coming in from this time

evermore.

But for Job they take on the cast 10. See the note to Job 11:6.

of

ironic horror.

11. Verses 1 1 through 21 seem to be Job's great discourse on the relationship between privacy and human dignity. To be constantly watched, and hence never to be one's self for one's self alone is, for Job, to be less than human. Even the complaining is itself a subhuman act, and Job must exhort himself to actually do it. To be watched as a thing out of its place is already to be out of act of

place,

or

like

thing

a

kept in, like the And

so

night

out a place

is

own place

but

Sleep

is the

one place

that

even there the outside can enter

visions, making his

must

be

watched and

place not

he had

inside in the form

his place,

and

expected of

for Job,

a

to be

dreams

thing

and

with

a contemptible thing.

Perhaps the man

its

sea.

Job turns to his bed.

his place, but terrible

that cannot know

one conscious act

thinks he can

perform

in

its totally internal nature, a privacy, is the act of swallowing his own

that, because

total

of

Interpretation

162

Job feels that if

spit

been denied him. When Job must

Being

hence

untrusted, and

body,

mind and in

God both in

has

he teels

how those words which quotation, we can see

psalmlike

become full

to him in the past have suddenly

meant so much

have

by

permeated

this

even

true

untrustworthy.

his

utters

is

God the traditional understanding of

of an

ironical terror.

If there is anything to this understanding the

of the

of

spoken

the

word

then, in

passage,

"compassion"

"contempt,"

in

13

verse

contrast to must

mean

another."

room

"leaving

for

or

.

it

stand what

is to learn to

to have

means

they

although

an

play

together

never come

will

speech.

of the remainder of the

Much

will

and

in the text,

role

critical

Job's final

again until

of some

"compassion"

"contempt"

increasingly

This is

the place of

"recognizing

importance since the two words

recognize

book

will

compassion

be devoted to

for

an attempt

to

The fundamental

another.

its

the full existence of the other as other, and

under

problem

relation

to

the recognition of self as self.

12. Although the

problem

is

nowhere near as

it was,

as

striking

still see note

to 7:8.

CHAPTER EIGHT

with1

tinue to recite these things judgement?2

Will the

vert against

if

you

Him

will

seek

God

He

out

pervert

He

have

your sons

if

Only

ask

fathers had

of

5 But

and

are pure and

you

make

rouse

the first generations. Seat yourself

searched

your

your

legacy

9 for

out;

we are

only

firmly

of a

upon

and

what

their

know nothing,

yesterday 10 Will they not teach you to you as the words come tumbling out of their heart? 11 Can pa where there is no marsh? or can reed flourish without water? 12

but

are

and speak

will

per

sinned

of their transgression?

implore The Almighty, 6

and

wind?

will you con

3 Will God

indeed.3

will grow great

days

Almighty

mighty right? 4 If

long

Himself up for you. He will hut to flourish. 7 And though your beginnings be small,

righteous

our

words of such

drive them into the hands

not

upright, surely then

8

2 "How

the Shuhite answered and said,

1 Then Bildad

a shadow

passing

over the

land.4

grow5

pyrus

While

yet

in their

Such is the vanish.6

15 He it

course

The

sense of

tender

for

days, they

all

profane man

before any grass, still forget God, and for him

those who

is lost 14 for he

who

trust will come to rely upon a spider will

lean

upon

unpicked.

wither

his house but it

feels

a

all

loathing

hope

for his

13

will

own

web.7

will not

hold; he

will

hold fast to it but

will not stand.

16 It may with roots

sit

fresh

twining

under the sun and shoots

round a

knoll

and

may spring up in his garden, 17

clinging to the

house

of stone.

18 Yet his

The Book of Job habitat

own

Such

devour him

will

are the

delights

of

his

and

him saying T have never seen and out of the dust another will

20

spring.10

ways;9

for

contempt"

joy. 22 Those

19

you!'*

deny

But surely God will neither have the hand of the evildoer. 21 He will fill with shouts of

163

your mouth with

hate

who

a simple

be

you will

man12

nor strengthen

laughter,

and your

in shame,

clothed

lips the

and

vanish."

tent of the

will

guilty

Comments 1. The Hebrew

This

we.

have

some

only you

didn't

call"

is

"and"

by

no

"when"

or

mean

fact that.

spite of the

In the Book

of

.

is

hereby

Otherwise the

in the

means

sentence

particle

mean you were

bread-and-butter

including,

others,

To

the translator, the reader need

"You

your simple

or a thousand

more

in town

"and."

It

and can

poignantly, "in

.

Job the

is particularly acute. Well-connected argu bunch of sentences all lying in a heap. The

problem

into

ments can so easily turn reader

is simply the is usually translated as

facing

of the problem

understanding

"but,"

"with"

the word

a general connective and

that the word

note

by

"and."

is

particle

I translated

which

warned that

a

I have translated have

sentence would

read:

we

"How

in

different

a thousand

long

will you continue

ways.

to recite

wind?"

these things and your words are such a mighty

2. MiSfpat: I

was not able

law"

and

eral

in the

can also mean a

Others,

wise

great

concerned,

mind outside

the

far

way

of

the insight

life

for his

span of a

wisdom

by living

a single man who must

how

an

it

"Right."

verse

sons

wanted

for any

It

Unless

the

other

8,

and

it

and of sons

to

make

actual

it

have

will

a

to fathers.

clear

that

individual

sin

he is

own.

to be that wisdom

single

which would

that someone

planted our roots

no matter

fathers to

the context of a human and

combined

only in

actual punishment

argument seems

by

prepared on one side or

or

the relation of

any

"gen

a given

"case."

argument proper

life dedicated to

even such a

The

as

sense of a

judge."

made

translated

his argument, however, he

fathers. The

experience or

a

his

each man must suffer

4. Bildad's

back to

justification, have

use either

with

beginning

thought that as

argument or

"judgement"

will start

deal to do

Before

or the

both in the

"specific judgement "case"

with some

noted, I shall

3. Bildad

can mean

sense of a

"trial"

other.

"judgement,"

It

translation of this word.

to find a single English word to use as a consistent

be

hence

is

not available

lifetime is too

needed even

autonomous

like Socrates

to the human

a political tradition

inquiry

short

to begin an approach to

into the

might one

reaching

to gather the

day

surface of

things,

lead.

many ages, have slowly through life, is to be trusted beyond the inquiries of of

the

fathers who,

over

have held himself back from life in

thoughtful that attempt

may have been.

order

to question

it,

164

Interpretation

Although these

doubt, any

roots

become

can

to discover wisdom must be a

search

only be found within the 5. "show its majestic

can

confines of a

lost

or

obscured

search

through

it. Wisdom

rediscover

to

well-nurtured

long-established,

and

adversity

home.

pride."

6. Bildad

even seems to

reed who goes

of

it alone, the

have

kind

compassion and a

man who

does

wisdom

berg). Or "Whose

lem is the

word

such roots.

confidence

from

yaqut,

One is

is

found in

interchanges

thread

a

(Green

of

(RSV). The heart

breaks in

form

root qum

On the

form

is

difficulty

by

is clearly

other

no

means,

there

"to feel

snap,"

however,

is

a

another root qut

loathing."

It

a

in the Book

as well as three times

"to

or

related to the root qmm,

hand,

of qus,

of the prob

that there are two

break"

"to

of qtt,

in the Bible. This is

often occur.

form in Job 10:1

lost.

and are

sunder"

the root qut. The

a rather common variant

this

is

confidence

After all, the

suggestion.

and such which

God,

gossam

an assumed variant

appears nowhere else

foolish

ways

the marsh,

stand without

man, the tender reed. Such men have forgotten

7. Others translate: "Whose

which

in the

or nourish

that cannot last. Other plants may be out there that can not

firmly

himself

not seat

himself in the waters of tradition, but tries to search out for himself. But much as he may love such a reed, he sees it as a thing

fathers

but

love for the tender

of

of

can

Psalms,

be

and

four times in Ezra. If this reading is correct, Bildad may have in mind something like the rather sycophantic way in which that arch-Machiavellian, Joab, fawns upon God's altar at the end of

8. Even home pose

a

with a and

are

comfortable

bear his

lonely

like Job

reed

needs a context within which

grassy knoll. The language and in good part derived from the

home,

and one on which

he

to

inquire

a

his questions presup he has disowned. It was a

content of path

still must

lean but

which can no

longer

Ultimately, his rejection of the wisdom of his home will cause reject him, and for Bildad, a man without a home is a man who has

weight.

his home to no place

his life.

to stand.

9. Intended

with an

10. Bildad

seems to

irony

between pity

somewhere

know that Job's problem is

and sarcasm.

an eternal problem and that

there will always be men like Job.

11. It is important to

note that

turn out to be so critical to

for

our

Bildad

uses the word

understanding

of

the

"contempt,"

which will

book

as a whole.

Cf.

note

42:6. 12. Bildad's

alternative

stands

it. That

except

for Zophar, Satan,

drama in

one

to the man of

was the word used

way

and the

or another

inquiry

for Job

Voice in the

think of

is the

so often

simple man, as

in the first

Tempest,

simplicity

as a

he

chapters.

In fact,

all the characters

high if

not

under

in the

the highest

human virtue, though they do not all agree on what the simple is. For Bildad this is to be understood in contradistinction to the man of inquiry. As far as the others are concerned, see the note to 31:40.

The Book of Job

165

CHAPTER NINE

1 Then Job

Him, He

with

justice

He

transport the mountains

6 Who

anger,2

Who

by

know, but

I

thousand.'

they feel it

to reel from

then

one wanted

what can

to go to trial

4 Wise

of

heart

and remain unbroken?

not;

its

or overturn them

place till

its

5 He

in His

quake!3

pillars

to the sun, and it does not rise; Who seals up the stars,

Himself

heavens

spreads out the

sea; 9 Who made Arcturus and

South; 10 Who

a

Him

against

and

can cause the earth

who says a word

and

fast

in

one

answer, no not

who can stand

all that

to God? 3 Even if

apparent

would not

mighty in power, who can

2 "Yes,

answered and said,

make a mortal's

accomplishes

Orion, great

and tramples on the

Pleiades,

the

and the

things, there is no

tier of the

Chambers

finding

7

8

of

the

them out

number.4

wonders without

11 He

passes

comprehend

him, 'What is it Under His

14 I

but I

cannot

Him. He

see

on, but I do not

moves

stop Him. Who can say to up do?' to 13 But God will not turn back His anger.

snatches

the ministers

and who can

of

low.5

Rahab bend

him, choosing my words against Him with care, 15 but in the right still I cannot do it. Yet I must plead for what

would answer

seems to me

I

am

just.6

16 Even if I not

me

you are about

rule even

even though

do

by

Him. 12 He

believe7

for

crush me

were

to summon

Him

and

He

were

hair

a

my breath, but

or multiplies

sates me with

my

to answer me, even then I

17 for He is the

that he would pay me any mind,

wounds gratis.

18 He

bitterness. 19 If trial be

will not

by

one

let

that can me catch

strength, He is the

mighty one, and if by court of law, who will plead my case? 20 Though I am just my own mouth would condemn me. I am simple but He will show me perverse. 21 I am simple but I no longer care and have only contempt for my life.8

Therefore I say that simple or guilty He destroys all. 23 When the whip suddenly brings death, He mocks as the innocent despair. 24 The earth has been placed into the hands of the guilty. He has covered the eyes

22 It's

of

all one.

its judges. If it be 25

good. upon

My days are 26 They pass its

prey.

not

He,

than a post.

swifter

is that

then where

should

flight for they have seen no boats; they swoop down like an eagle

They

through with the reed

27 Even if I

say 'Let

long

visage,

all

my grief, found guilty.

and put on a cheerful

since

I know that

take

me

look,'

my

one?9

forget my complaint, abandon would still feel the dread of

28 I

you will never

find

me pure.

29 I

will still

be

for an airy nothing? 30 If I were to wash in snowy with lye, 31 You would dip me in the muck till hands my would hold me in

Why

then toil

waters and cleanse

abomination.10

my cloths 32 He is not

even

a man

( 'ish)

together under judgement.

hand

on us

as

I am, that I

33 There is

can answer

no arbitrator

both! 34 But let Him turn his

rod

Him,

between

away from

that we can come

lay

his

frighten

me

us who can

me and not

166

Interpretation

with

I

His terror, 35 then I

am none of

would speak out without

FEAR

of

Him; for in

myself

things."

these

Comments 1. Job

thinks that there may be a critical sense

now

The distinction between

right.

from the highest

visible

in

which

Bildad may be

the thoughtful and the thoughtless

point of view.

He begins to fear

that at

may

not

level

that

be the

may completely disappear. On the one hand, this conclusion leaves him confused and perhaps a bit frightened. On the other hand, this con surface of things

fusion

ultimately force Job to his own native borders.

will

ness of

2. For the we

sake of

have kept to the

trary

into

a world well

to allow the reader to

and

consistency,

following

peer

convention,

it did

although

beyond the

narrow

do his

reading,

own

seem somewhat arbi

at times:

'aph "anger"

ka'as

hamah

gur

hath

"indignation"

"fury"

"terror"

"dread"

"RAGE."

3.

4. From these in the

verses one can get a wonderful sense of the

duality

contained

"fear."

In them Job is constantly pulled from terror to awe and back to terror. He is both drawn and repelled by a world that is too large to contain word

him. It is awesome, but he surface

5. In

understanding verse 1 Job

of

more

himself to the

just than his God?

For the without

moment at

justice that

in that

in it for himself

no place

he had

recognized

he had said, but he

question raised

least he is

even

also

by Eliphaz

or a mortal more pure

or

his

than

Bildad's

simple

live in

good will

knew that he had in

4:17,

his

"Shall

and

not yet

a man

be

maker?"

content to raise the question

to answer it. God seems to

trying

of mortal

find

showed that

realizes the truth of what addressed

can

human justice.

a world so

far

in its enormity above the cares

to raise the question now seems meaningless. The

large that to him it seems unavoidable that the little things will be crushed and those who are small enough to see the things that fall through the cracks are too small to be heard. motions

6. Job in them

must not

as

world,

cannot

do

In these

unjust.

come to

be

performed

and their consequences

cannot

caught

only

terms with two

conflicting worlds, he must act has forbidden. They are forever performed in THE

well, and what each world commands the other

Actions Job

world are so

what

verses

in

reverberate

he knows he

Job

a world.

must

presents the

throughout

fundamental

by divided duty. God is God, and Justice demands articulation, yet the a

the speaker who

feels

perverse when

all worlds.

do. problem of the

yet what seems act of

just

Either way

book Job is cannot seem

articulation points

he considers the enormity

of

back

to

the distinc-

The Book of Job between himself

tion

becomes

again

and

his

his

aware of

God, and he falls silent. But innocence, and justice again begins

her demands. This constant,

then

notion of

own

unresolvable cycle

167 he

to raise

leads him into bitterness

and

confusion. trust."

7. Or "I

cannot

8. Job's sociality, his that when

him. He

they

being, Job feels

so great open to

own self-condemnation.

the world around him and the conditions it

has

out of

yet, since he knows

place, contorted,

guilt, he knows

of no crime or

takes the only course

his

is

left

fellowship

companions and

him, he

them in

by joining

society

facing

of the sin of

guilty Divine

for human

condemn and reject

rejoins

When

need

having

of no

seen

his

and

way of expiation. He innocence.

placed upon

even

his

begins to feel

own

everyday justice;

wisdom and

and

perverse,

each seems

to mock and jeer

at

the

can

be

other until the whole turns meaningless.

9. The

is,

question

God

no second

who

of

intended to be

course,

is Lord

rhetorical.

For Job there

be

the surface, no one else who could

over

If the tart is gone, some knave must have stolen it. 10. Even at this point Job could put a false face

over

guilty.

the surface and go on

back to his friends; let it all rest in oblivion as he had once thought to do. Sometimes that old trick really works. Smile at the day, and the day smiles right back at you; but not this time. That ugly surface world and the feelings of dread from

and guilt which come

has been seen, it 11

.

This

cannot

seems to

ever since the world

the only world that

Job had

grown

its don'ts. It

best.

By

be

be

having

knew,

a

guilty man;

find something innocent man. Words like

of things as

they have been

and

a comfortable world with

its do's

and

sense, and in the main, things turned out for the world, a

and yet when

"outside"

and

he

world which

honestly

he knows

tries to

and

lives by,

look into himself to

has happened, he finds

begin to lose their

deeper

cence out there on a surface that

be found only

heart

focus. Job knows that he is guilty in yet he knows that he is not guilty.

that would make sense out of what

"inside"

surface

out of

his friends in

all made so much

all the standards of that

he, Job, is

Once the

unseen.

ever

with

up

will not go away.

somewhere near the

began to fall

he

it

seen

meaning.

an

Is his inno

wisdom cannot comprehend?

Or is it to

himself?

within

CHAPTER TEN

1

My

speak me

spirits

feel

a

in the bitterness

know

loathing of

my

towards life. I will unleash my complaint and

soul.

2 To God I

the cause of this struggle against

that You oppress, that You

have

contempt2

say:

me.1

'Do

not condemn

3 Does it

for the toil

me, but let

seem good

of your own

to You

hand, but

Interpretation

168

the counsel of the guilty 4 Have You

radiate upon

flesh? Can You

eyes of

man?3

5 Can time

as mortals see?

by

years pass

down my

as our years,

sin?4

that You probe

over

me

9 Remember that You

me.

and

flesh You

Your dealings

I

am not

guilty,

were

me

me

Do Your track

there

and yet

clay

from

yet

and

and that

milk and thickened me

knit

clothed me and

with

made

made me as

to dust. 10 You poured me out like skin and

mind

to

perversions and

back into my

is

from Your hand.

8 Your hands toiled devour

what time means

to You

7 Somewhere in Your

to save me

none

6

mean

see

full

of

me together with

life

all

You

like

about

cheese.

bones

they

will return me

11 With

and sinews.

12

Your guardianship loving heart.5 all these things up in Your care.

and

my spirit. 13 But You treasured I know what You have in mind; 14 if I sin You'll be watching and You'll not clear me from my perversion. 15 Well, if I have been guilty the grief is mine, watched over

but of

I

even when

innocent I have been

am

honor is left in

me

majestic pride of a

and

I

so sated with reproach that no feebleness.6

see

only my lion in hunting me? Must

17

You

16 You

must

feeling

feel the

you always use me to manifest

witnesses against me feeding Continually bring Your indignation against me. Army after army are upon me. 18 Why did You bring me out of the womb? Had I only perished without

your wonders?

ever an eye

to see me, 19 I

been led from the

belly

would

be

to the grave.

new

as though

I had

not

20 So little time

been,

as though

remains.

I had

Forbear! Leave

bit that I may be cheerful. 21 Well, I will be going soon, going to a land darkness and the Shadow of Death and I will not return; 22 to a land that

me a of

glows

tion

is

in murk, the Shadow

of

Death

and without order

A land

whose radia

murk.'"

Comments

1. Back in Chapter 4, Job had

said:

"I

him, choosing my has begun, although he knows that there will be no court and no judge. Despite the bitterness and confusion in his soul, he begins his brief like an ordinary brief, asking for the words

against

grounds of

be

Him

would

answer

care,"

with

and now

God's complaint, but

by

verse

the process

4 he

sees more

deeply

why there

can

no court.

2. Job intends this

statement as an answer to what

Bildad had

said

in the last

speech:

But surely God will neither have contempt for a simple man nor the hand of the evildoer. He will fill your mouth with

8:20

strengthen

and your

On the

laughter,

lips

relation

with shouts of

between

joy.

contempt and

laughter

see also the note to

30:1.

169

The Book of Job 3. Literally, "Are Your days like the days years of a man

Job

like the

of a mortal or your years

(gebher)T

be saying that if God can feel neither the dragging nor the time, He can understand neither punishment nor human suffering.

seems to of

rushing Hope and fear cannot

are

both

feel them He

from

meaningless apart

His

cannot understand

human

the

own

sense of time.

If God

judgements.

4. Job is saying that if, as Psalms say, a thousand years in His sight are as but yesterday when they are past, He cannot understand the sins of Job's youth as

just that, the

being

5. That's make each and care.

life,

sins of

what made

thing in

For the

and yet

it

his youth,

all so

nature,

including

case

Job himself,

everything everything had

long

ago

understand.

seemed to

most part

in this

an act of a

hard for Job to

dead

past.

God had

seemed to

with such perfection,

him to be

gone so wrong.

It

full

so

was all so

love,

love

and

crazy

and

of

mixed up.

6. This is, perhaps, Job's deepest insight into the and thoughts.

his life, one

Job knows that like

and perhaps more than most

to suffer on account of them.

beyond

such reasonable

Job feels that he is world of order

Eliphaz

nature of

his

own

feelings

he has surely made some mistakes in he knows that he has always been the men, But the present situation is different and

all men

bounds.

beginning

to

and the rest of

lose his

them,

as

struggle with

the outside world, the

well as with the world of pain.

In

to come to terms with the noise of all of these accusations, and remain

part of

that outer world, his only source of human relationship, he

beginning

to believe in his

guilty.

He lives

which

is best in him

own

guilt even though

with this contradiction

and

only

seeing only his

by taking

own

finds himself

he knows that he is his

frailties.

mind

not

away from that

The Book

of

Translation

and

Job

Commentary

Robert D. Sacks St. John's College, Santa Fe

CHAPTER ELEVEN

1 Then Zophar the Naamathite be

words never right?

3 Do

lence? Do

'My

claptrap of really believe you can mock spotless. I am pure in Thy

tenets are

His lips

and

discernment is many your for

up,

of

God,

sea.4

turn him back?

13 But, if

birth to

if,

you

your

blemish. You think of

will

it only

will

be in the

all men to si

rebuked?

sight.'

and

should pass

11 He knows the

Would

by

you

discover the

what can you

and

earth

separate5

become thoughtful

do?

mea

or close

Can he

worthless man.

man will

is its

when

see

the

('adam).

heart

firmly

in

and

have

no

and spread out your

hand,

your

then shall you

lie

out?

know? 9 Longer than the

bear

you remove

FEAR. 16 You

at ease.

will

be

19 You

it,

hands to Him 14 and

your countenance

has flown by. 17 Life

the morning. 18 You

forget

will arise out of

secure will

will

because there

be in

let

high

no

injus

above all

all toil and

the noonday

will

be hope.

repose and none shall

afraid.6

will seek your

all escape

bring

8 It is higher than heaven

10 If He

wickedness

tent, 15 be firm

burrow in

make you

Many

is

your

as water that

sun and soar as

You

a man

direct

there

when

tice dwell in

without

find them

it? 12 Hollow

wickedness and not ponder

and

can you

what can you

broader than the

wild ass gives

yours should

multitude of

always

4 You say being 5 Oh, if only God Himself speak to you, 6 tell you the secrets of wisdom: for and you must know that God will bear some of

things of The Almighty?

deeper than the Pit

who can

lip1

you.

7 The deepest things

sure and

said, 2 "Will this

the quick

sided,2

perversions3

utmost

man with

you think that this

you

would open

answered and

Must the

answered?

is lost,

The first ten

favor. 20 But the

and their one

hope is to

chapters of the translation and

Interpretation. The balance

interpretation,

will appear

Spring 1997,

eyes of

commentary in future issues.

Vol. 24, No. 3

the guilty

exhale the

will

fail. For them,

spirit."

appeared

in Volume 24, Number 2

of

252

Interpretation

Comments lips,"

1. Literally, "a man of and clearly intended to be derogatory. 2. The force, and hence the deceptive force, of human speech is its ability to speak of a part, even a random part, as if it were an intelligible whole. Job's

is

arguments presuppose that there

human

But there may be many

such

vital part of the whole.

The things

together in a

beguiling

be

foundation for human

not one of which

surfaces,

within our

ken,

fails to

they

while

open

to

existence.

obscure some

to hold

seem

way, may be required to be so modified by what human judgment inadequate to the point of mean-

sort of

is beyond it, as to render all inglessness. The spotless, when seem to

it is sufficiently

a surface and that

comprehension to serve as an adequate

seen within a

larger

context

may

no

longer

so. "iniquity,"

3. This word, which has traditionally been translated tends to be used in a rather specific way in the Torah, and it is not impossible that Zophar

has in

mind a

sion,"

and

het

distinction "sin."

or

which the

Het

twist,"

"to meaning "to "path," done to a or to "the a root

future

growth.

One

between 'awon

makes

mark,"

miss the

distort"

while

"pervert."

or

refers to an

'awon

or

"perver

comes

from

It is something that can be implies an effect on

or

right,"

all

Torah

"to

means

to a mind, and hence

act, the other to a way of being.

Consider:

Deu. 5:9

.

.

visiting the perversion,

of the

children's children, to the third and

Contrast this

Fathers

for his

the

different

his

or

put to

put

to death for their children nor shall

death for their fathers, but

each man shall

die

her

clear that no one can

own particular

parent, but

be held

responsible

"perversion"

with

for

it is

a

matter.

those acts of the

a general

fathers

whole of the nation: other

be

24:16 it is

In the Torah there is

in

the children and the

own sin.

Deuteronomy of

be

shall not

children not

"sins"

upon

generation.

verse with

Deu. 24:16

From

fathers fourth

which

tendency

have

a

to use the word

lasting

and

'awon

devastating

to refer to

effect on the

for example, black slavery in early America. Or, to

put

it

words, even an immigrant who has newly become a citizen of this

he, like all others, is innocent has, by virtue of becoming part

any crime his father may have committed, of us, inherited a debt to the Native American peoples, a debt which we shall never be able to pay in full. There is also another aspect to the question. The more one thinks about the country,

although

problem of

of

perversion, the more complicated and almost

insoluble it becomes.

253

The Book of Job The

have

sons

innocent

end the cycle?

I

it implies that

an answer can

term

Bible is

by

or

four

may have

they

meant when

what the moderns mean

considering

by

the

with regard to alcoholism or child abuse.

be

in

fuller context, the quotation from traditions, if well founded, tend to last

noted that when seen

Deuteronomy

a

clearly contends that good longer than bad ones; but it also implies that if the

have

optimistic when

generations.

syndromes"

should

to hold on to the bad ones for a

enough

whole of

blame? How to

apportion

being terribly

to rethink what the ancients

curse on a

"family

It

How then to

be found in only three

house"

"a

spoke of

alike.

sometimes think that the

might want

was no crime.

their tradition, and the suffering falls on the

by

the community, guilty and

One

but in their tradition, it

committed a great crime;

have been twisted

They

little while, the

not

were

world

sticky

good ones would never

a chance either.

This

second aspect of the

however, is

problem,

the story to be

not part of

told in this note. Here we shall be speaking of the debt which, from the point of view of

the

Torah,

Although evidence

we all

we must still

or

owe, guilty

leave

open

innocent

of

the question

any

sin or crime.

of whether

is

there

sufficient

to claim that the author of the Book of Job was aware of that tradition,

the tenor of Zophar's argument is so close to the thoughts contained in the tradition that I thought it not amiss to include this note. The

is

portrayed as

only

in

one

being

the

dialogue to

as we shall

which,

The

aware of the tradition

but

enhanced

use the enigmatic phrase

see, is so

reader cannot

is

critical

notice the

for

by

that Zophar

feeling

the fact that he

"to bear

is the

perversion,"

a

the Torah.

ambiguity in the

"bear."

A

word

man can

perversion

his shoulders, or another can "bear/lift that off those shoulders, that is, he may forgive him; but then he may have to "bear on his own shoulders. the "bear

perversion"

on

a

perversion"

Let

us

begin

the Torah in

by looking

for

ourselves at a complete

the

word occurs:

4:13

My

perversion

Gen. 15:16

The

Gen.

which

Gen. 19:15

...

the

Gen. 44:16

lest

you

be

fathers

fourth

a

me to

God

both

am a

bear.

we and the one

the perversion of

in

Therefore

whose

jealous God, visiting the

perversion of

hate

[generations]

me and

showing loving love me and

of those that

commandments.

my

and .

.

.

we

hand the

the son's son, to the third and the

of those that

thousand

in

not yet complete.

consumed on account of

upon the sons and

[generation]

kindness to

Exo. 28:43

your

for

Amorites is

my lord, found.

I the Lord the

great

of the passages

out the perversion of your servant.

slaves to

chalice was

Exo. 28:38

[Lot] be

city [Sodom]. God has found

will

Exo. 20:5

is too

perversion of the

list

he [Aaron] shall bear the perversion of the lest they bear the perversion and die.

holy

things

keep

254

Interpretation

Exo. 34:6

The Lord

Lord, is

passed

before him,

loving kindness bearing perversion in

and

truth,

God,

keeping

If I have found favor

.

.

.

the

love for thousands,

steadfast

but

who will

the

perversion of

the son and the son's son, to the third and the

Exo. 34:9

Lord,

to anger, and abounding

slow

and transgression and sin,

[the guilty], visiting the

means clear

proclaimed, "The

and

a merciful and gracious

fourth

by

fathers

no upon

[generation]."

pardon our perversion and our sins

[Moses]. Lev.

5:1

If

anyone sins

a witness

does Lev.

5:17

Lev.

7:18

in that he hears

because he had

not speak up,

he

a call to come

testify, knew

either seen the affair or

bear his

shall

and

he

about

was

it but

perversion.

in that he does any one of all the things which the Lord commanded him not to do and is unaware, he is guilty and he shall bear his perversion. But he may bring a ram to the priest If

anyone sins

....

If any

of the

it

the sacrifice of his peace offering is eaten

credited to

bear his

shall

Lev. 10:17

of

day, he who offers it shall not be accepted, neither shall him; it shall be an abomination, and he who eats of

on the third

it be

flesh

Why

did

perversion.

[offering] in

you not eat the sin

it is the holiest

holy

of the

it

and

was given

the

to

holy

place

because

to bear the

you

for them before

perversion of the congregation to make atonement

the Lord?

Lev. 16:21

And Aaron

and their sins

Lev. 17:16

If he [one

his two hands

shall place

and confess over

him

on the

head

of

the

all the perversions of the children of

live

goat

Israel

....

who eats what

not wash them

[his clothes]

dies and

of

itself

is torn

or

bathe his flesh, he

by beasts] shall

does

bear his

perversion.

Lev. 18:25

The land became defiled

Lev. 19:8

Anyone bear his

Lord, Lev. 20:17

who eats

perversion

it [a

because he has

and that soul shall

A

man who

and so

sacrifice

be

cut off

takes his sister

.

.

.

I

punished

its

perversions.

left till the third day] he profaned the

from his

has

holy

shall

things of the

people.

uncovered

his

sister's

nakedness; he shall bear his perversion.

Lev. 20:19

You

shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister or

father's sister, for that is to

of your

shall

Lev. 22: 14

Lev. 25:15

bear their

And if

Lev. 22:16

fifth

part thereof unto

the

holy

thing.

and

...

Or their

Lev. 26:38-42

a man eat of the

the

Israel,

kin; they

holy thing

it,

unwittingly, then he shall put

and shall give

they shall not profane the holy they offer unto the LORD;

it

unto the priest with

things of the children of

which

bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat for I the LORD do sanctify them. be lost among the nations and the land of your enemies

suffer then to

holy

You shall

make naked one's near

perversion.

things:

will

devour

[eat]

you.

Whoever among you is left will rot away in the land of their enemies. Yea, on

account of their perversion

on

The Book of Job account of the perversion of their

along

remember

Num.

5:10ff.

But if they

with them.

shall rot

away I will

...

....

And the Lord

Moses.

said to

man's wife goes astray, priest and

fathers they

confess their perversion

255

.

.

.

Say

to the people of

then shall the man

bring

Israel, if any his

to the

wife

her, a tenth of an ephah of it, for it is a cereal offering

bring

the offering required of

barley meal: he shall pour no oil upon of jealousy a cereal offering of remembrance, bringing

perversion to

remembrance.

Num.

5:29

This is the law in

case of

her husband's authority, spirit of

then

he

jealousy

but the Num. 14:18

astray

when a wife, though under

and

comes upon a man and

defiles herself, or when the he is jealous of his wife;

the woman before the Lord and the priest shall

shall set

her

execute upon

jealousy,

goes

law. The

all this

woman shall

bear her

man shall

be free from

perversion

perversion.

And now I pray thee let the power of the Lord be great as thou hast promised, saying; "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and

faithfulness, keeping

love for thousands,

steadfast

but

and transgression and sin,

who will

by

bearing

perversion

no means clear the

guilty, visiting the perversion of the fathers upon the children

Num. 14:19

Pardon the

perversion of this people

Num. 14:34

According

to the number of

land, forty days, for every day

days in

a

...

and

generation."

fourth

the children's children, to the third and the

I have

pardoned

.

.

the

which you spied out

year, you shall bear your

perversion.

Num. 15:31

If upon

Num. 18:1

a soul raises

his hand [and murders]

And the Lord of your

father

said to

with

his

perversion

Aaron,

is

you, and your sons, and the house

you, bear the perversion of the

you, and your sons with you,

Num. 18:21ff.

...

him.

bear the

holy

place,

and

perversion of your priesthood.

To the Levites I have

inheritance,

.

.

given every tithe in Israel for an But the Levites shall do the service in the tent

.

they

meeting, and

shall

bear their

perversion and

it

shall

be

throughout your generations; and among the Israel they shall have no inheritance. For I the Lord your God am a jealous God visiting the perversion of the father upon the children and the children's perpetual statute

of

a people

of

Deu.

5:9

children

Deu. 19:15

A

....

single witness shall not raise

perversion or

The first time the original

perversion,

Gen. 4:13

My

word

was

any

is

used

Cain's

perversion

sin

...

up

against

in the Bible, fratricide.

man

for any

or one might even

act of

is too

any

.

great

for

me

to bear.

say the

256

Interpretation

The fact that the first city is indicative

the founder of the first

by

perversion was committed

the notion that perversion, as distinguished from sin, is a

of

communal matter.

Now it were all

must

in tents,

and

by saying, "Yonder city is near enough Even he knows that God has not yet it is only a little the way for the city, and that it is no place for a good man, but he is

overcome

right

to excuse himself

one."

flee to,

prepared

fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob even Lot when he flees the hills for the

that our

remembered

living

shepherds,

city thinks it is to

be

and

fear.

by

For the Bible, the two, fratricide

founding

the

and

Cain, first a farmer, then a founder, from "the to distinguish "the

this wise. wall

lishment of

God's

out

required that

The

creation.

the whole without

he

cut

himself

claim

a

off and obliterate all of

life,

shepherd's

laying

fence and then a city up This act of radical self-estab

thine."

mine"

the city, fall together in

of

put

on the other

his ties to the

hand, freely

roams

rest

through

is

to any particular part of the whole. It

at

farmers must, is an essentially political act. By setting up a part and making it into a whole, it denies the availability of the given whole, either for oneself, or another. Cain wishes to establish his own world in the fullest sense possible.

home, but it has

As the

a

further

arts, too, as

product of

no

home. Cain's

building

consequence of the problem of

having

their origin

fence,

a

as all

development,

in Cain's perversion,

since

the Bible presents

they

are seen as a

the city.

Gen. 4:20-22

Adah bore Jabal; he and

have

forger

years

one

and

day

father

of

play the lyre and pipe. instruments of bronze

was

those who dwell in tents

Jubal; he was the father of Zillah bore Tubal-cain; he was

name was

of all

Tubal-cain

Of course,

the

was

His brother's

cattle.

all those who

the

many

act of

and

iron. The

sister of

Naamah.

be the

there will

many books to

holy

city

of

Jerusalem, but it

the legitimization

work out

will

take

the city. Al

of

recounting of that story would lead us too far out of our path, we shall in time be forced to reconsider the arts and how the perverse becomes transformed into the holy. (For a more extended account of this subject, see my though the

commentary on Genesis.) Cain's act, because it is

at

the center

society, then becomes the nexus of

of

what

the illegitimate origins of communal

the Bible means

the only way of populating such a self-made world is via most

like oneself,

Lev. 20:17

lying A

with a sister

man who takes

nakedness; he

The of the

connection

between

shall

his

is

also

sister

bear his

.

called,

.

.

has

not a

by

perversion.

incest

with one

sin, but

uncovered

his

Since that

is

a perversion.

sister's

perversion.

perversion and sisters

is

underlined

ten other illicit unions mentioned in the passage in

by

the

Leviticus:

fact that

257

The Book of Job Neighbor's Father's

20:10

wife

20:11

wife

Daughter-in-law

20:12

A

20:13

male

Wife

and

her

20:14

mother

A beast A

20:15

having

woman

Mother's Uncle's

her

20:19

sister

20:20

wife

Brother's

20:21

wife

the only other to

Lev. 20:19

be specifically You

your

shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister or of

When Joseph feigned the

Gen. 44:16

be

Judah

when

enough,

my lord, found.

of the stolen chalice

shall

both

upon

later

Joseph

and

in Benjamin's

bag

said:

we and the one

spoke of the

fratricide

the stolen chalice, but of the

to reflect

connection with

out the perversion of your servant.

slaves to

chalice was

Clearly

discovery

occasion

up is in

him prisoner, Judah

God has found will

have

which we will

the next time the word shows

and was about to take

kin; they

make naked one's near

perversion.

Except for Genesis 15:16,

in this note, his brothers.

called a perversion also concerns a sister.

father's sister, for that is to

bear their

years

20:18

sickness

in

perversion, he

which

had

almost

Therefore

whose

we

hand the

was not

thinking

of

taken place so many

before.

Gen. 37:17

And the 'Let

us go

them at them

into

him,

said,

"They

Dothan.'"

Dothan.

they

"Here

man

to

They

saw

him

conspired against

comes this

one of the

have

So Joseph

gone

away, for I heard them say,

went after

afar off, and

him to kill him.

dreamer. Come now, let

pits; then we shall

and we shall see what will

us

his brothers,

before he

They

that a wild

say become

of

said

kill him

his

and

found

came near to

to one another,

and throw

him

beast has devoured

dreams."

Again, the text in 44:16 indicates a relation between fratricide and perversion. Yet, in Judah's words, we can also begin to see some way out. The brothers, not taking well to Joseph's rather imperious character, decided to kill him. But Reuben was of a more affable character, and, thought

it his

duty

to save Joseph's life. But Reuben

was

being

the eldest,

something

of a bum-

258

Interpretation

bier. His

plan was

back later

ful. He

have the brothers

to

and return

was to persuade the order

splendid and

boy

"Indeed,

sell

to explain to Jacob what

recognize"

Jacob understood,

Judah thought longer

could no

the

and what

boy

share a

life

to come

was more thought

The only way that

only

was possible

wild

a

animal, brought it home to

Jacob,

this coat. Jacob looked at the coat and said,

eaten

was

thinking

pit,

passing Ishmaelite caravan. had happened, the brothers took Joseph's

Joseph."

has

a

arise again, and that the

only

Joseph to

coat, dipped it in the blood of a

a wild animal

Joseph in

out of the country.

brothers to

said, "Please to

much

put

father. Judah, however,

realized that the problem would

solution was to get the

In

to his

boy

the

kind

We

of a wild

only left to wonder how animal he was thinking of.

are

probably safe, but

with

the

after what

had happened, he

others and went off with a

friend, Hirah

the Adullamite.

Now, Judah had a daughter-in-law named Tamar, whose Judah, had died. Tamar felt it her duty to raise a

those sons, but Judah had denied her.

and, and

dressing Hirah

In pledge,

payment.

Judah

as a whore and

Judah

came along.

she

returned with the

She

seed

her

then threw off

at the

standing

slept with

her

in memory

of

widow's weeds

she waited until

city gate,

and promised

demanded his signet, his cord, kid, no whore was to be found

husbands, both

two

sons of

Judah

to send her a kid as

his

and

staff.

at the

But

when

gate.

city Some time later, Judah heard that his daughter-in-law was about to have a child by harlotry and demanded that she be publicly burnt. But when Tamar appeared, she to

produced

the signet and the cord and the staff, and said, "Please

recognize"

these objects.

Those words, "Please to he had heard them once before. Time suddenly became jumbled for Judah. Was it now, or was it then? Who was recognize"

speaking?

Was Tamar speaking to him, or was it himself speaking to h;s father was it that he was to "recognize"? Was it the coat, or the staff, or

Jacob? What was

it something

and was

ready

version, unlike

innocent This

else?

He had learned from her something about responsibility his brothers. For Judah, that return meant that per

to return to sin or

guilt, was a

thing

to be shared among

brothers, guilty

and

alike.

sense of shared

responsibility,

and

its

relation

sion, only slowly from the text. Perhaps aspects of the problem can be seen in the following emerges

Lev. 5:1

If

anyone sins

witness

in that he hears

because he had

not speak

to the concept

one of

of perver

the more tangible

verse:

a call to come

either seen the affair or

testify,

knew

and

about

he

was a

it but does

up, he shall bear his perversion.

This is, perhaps, not the deepest sense of togetherness that Judah was feel ing, yet even here we can see how an otherwise innocent man might find him self responsible because of where and when and with whom he happened to be, regardless of

how he had

acted at the time.

259

The Book of Job There is

one other aspect of perversion that comes out of the same chapter

in

Leviticus. Lev. 5:17

If

in that he does any one of all the things which the him not to do and is unaware, he is guilty and he bear his perversion. But he may bring a ram to the priest anyone sins

Lord

commanded

shall

and another

....

like it.

Lev. 22:14-16

And if

a man eat of a

holy thing

unknowingly

them to bear the perversion and guilt

In

Here,

perversion seems to

order

to

that the text

assume

is

be

intimately

dealing

with a case

to be aware of his crime, and that his

insensitivity Since he

on

his

lack

connected with

in

lack

.

and so cause

.

.

eating their

believe that the

the passage, I

make sense of

by

holy

things.

of awareness.

is

reader

meant to

the actor was in no position

which

due to any

of awareness was not

part.

only knows about it by hearsay and, as it were, from the outside, he cannot feel any guilt or repentance in the normal sense of the word. He can, of course, feel a deep sense of sorrow

was unaware of the sin at the time of the act and

because

of the

result, and

the same. He nevertheless still

he

feels

there is no need single act

he

for

repentance

in the

Bible

aware of the perversion of the

father,

as

it has helped to determine the

shape of

and

perversion, let

In the

him

proem

Exo. 20:5

your

.

since the

us reconsider

to the

.

.

day

.

laws

You

God

those that

which

of the

he

of

fact that the

greater

and

been the

may not bear insofar

source of much

his birth.

am a

between

lead to this discussion.

man and

bow down to them

jealous God visiting the

hate

me and

doing loving

man, God

or serve

of those that

love

me and

of this

a somewhat revised version:

God in

order

keep

my

says:

them; for I the Lord

perversion of the

kindness to

the affair of the golden calf, when

understanding

son

nonetheless must

his life

the passages that

of actions

shall not

[generations] after

since

.

the sons and the son's son, to the third and the fourth

But,

time,

word, there is no

the question of the relationship between ritual sacrifice

fully

more

same

the human need for ritual sacri

perceives as

be

To face

however, because

At the

normal sense of the

.

sustained

guilt,

to rid himself of a sense of guilt. This seems to be

can perform

one of the roots of what the

has

of

an unjust act.

fice: "But he may bring a ram to the priest At the very least, this law must remind one

of what

kind

a strange

knows that he has benefitted from

now

to undo any wrong, but that is not

a need

fathers

of

a thousand commandments.

Moses felt that he

to continue as

upon

[generation]

leader,

God

needed a gave

him

260

Interpretation

Exo. 34:6

The Lord is

before him,

passed

a merciful and gracious

kindness

and

God,

keeping

truth,

sin, but

perversion of the

son, to the third and the

son's

now

thee, bear our go

fathers

loving

bearing

no means clear

by

who will

the son and the

upon

[generation]."

fourth

haste to bow his head toward the earth,

"If

abounding in

love for thousands,

steadfast

perversion and transgression and

[the guilty], visiting the

"The Lord, the Lord,

and proclaimed,

slow to anger, and

And Moses

and worshiped.

made

And he said,

I have found favor in thy sight, O Lord, let the Lord, I pray in the midst of us, although it is a stiff-necked people; and perversion and our

he said, "Behold, I

sin, and take us for

make a covenant.

Before

inheritance."

thy

all your people

I

And

will

do

"

marvels

What gracious

ing

we

God,

steadfast

But

have is

ambiguous.

love for thousands,

hand,

"bearing

they

kindness

loving

merciful and

and

keep

truth,

perversion and transgression and

Moses actually

spoke of a

asked

"marvels,"

and of

God to "bear but

our perver

said not a word about

perversion."

our

Some time later, sent to

when

in

sin."

bearing

"covenant,"

sion,"

God

We have learned that God is "a

to anger, and abounding

slow

the other

on

.

spy

out the

a

After the

similar affair occurred.

very

land

returned and told their

tales, fear

men that

Moses had

struck the people and

revolted.

It

should

be

noted

in passing that this

particular act of rebellion was also

called a perversion:

Num. 14:34

According to the number of days forty days, for every day a year, you

in

which you spied out the

shall

bear

land,

your perversion.

The story of how this early act of perversion led to the necessity of conquer lands not originally intended to be part of the new nation, and the role these

ing

extraterritorial

lands

the country at the

played

hands

hundreds

of the

of years

Assyrians

later in the total destruction

of

Babylonians has already been because it is such a to bear a perversion. This one

and the

told in my Genesis commentary. I mention the affair only

striking example of one sense of what it means was bome for twelve hundred years till one day it of

was visited upon the children

the children. But we must return to our subject and consider the second

discussion between God It took

again with

After

Moses

having

promise

and

place at the time as the

argued the

back to Him in

Moses.

God

father

was about to abandon of

"a

impracticality

His

people and start over

nation greater and mightier of such a

a conversation much

than

they."

plan, Moses repeated God's

like the first, but

with

very differ

ent results:

Num. 14:17

And now, I pray thee, let the power of the Lord be great as thou hast promised, saying, "The Lord is slow to anger, and abounding in

261

The Book of Job

loving kindness, bearing perversion and transgression, but who will by no means clear [the guilty], visiting the perversion of the fathers son, to the third and the fourth

upon the son and the son's

[generation]. Bear the

perversion of this

people, I pray thee,

according thy loving kindness, hast born this people, from Egypt even until Lord said, "I have borne, according to your to the greatness of

thou

'

according as Then the

and

now."

"

word'

.

.

"I have borne, according to your Things have changed, and what could not have happened then, now can happen. As we shall see, that change word."

centers on the

Before

life,

we consider those

account which

brings together the

ousy, perversion,

Moses'

death, of brother, Aaron. things, however, there is in the Bible one

ultimately the

and

the undetected,

consumed at the risk of pain

same elements as

the story of Aaron: jeal

a

offering which must be all, forgiveness and the

priest,

and

an

death, and, last

or

other

of

possibility of returning to the fullness of normal life. Since the story lives on a more human level, it might be best to begin there: Num. 5:11-31

And the lord

said to

man's wife goes

Moses.

Say

to the people of

and acts

against

Israel, if any him, if a man

astray, unfaithfully her carnally, and it is hidden from the eyes of her husband, and she is undetected though she has defiled herself

lie

with

there

spirit of

jealousy

since she was not taken

comes upon

him,

and

and

in the act;

he is jealous

of

has defiled herself; or if the spirit of jealousy comes and he is jealous of his wife though she had not defiled him,

wife who

upon

herself; the

her,

no witness against

if the

and

his

is

then shall the man

offering

shall pour no oil upon cereal

offering

of

his

bring

her, it, for it is

wife to the priest and

barley

a tenth of an ephah of

required of

a cereal

bringing

remembrance,

offering

of

bring he

meal:

jealousy,

a

perversion to

remembrance.

The the

priest shall

priest shall

the

take

some of

it in

the water.

and unbind the

bring her near and set her before the Lord, and holy water in an earthenware vessel, and

take the

dust

that

And the hair

is

floor

on the

of

the tabernacle and put

priest shall set the woman

of the woman's

head

before the Lord

and place

in her hands

offering of remembrance which is a cereal offering jealousy. And in his hand, the priest shall have the water of the

cereal

bitterness that brings the an oath

saying "If

curse.

no man

Then the

has lain

with

priest shall make

of

her take

you, and if you have not

turned aside to uncleanliness, while you were under your

husband's authority, be free from this brings the

curse.

under your

But if

you

have

husband's authority,

and some man other than your

the

priest shall make

the

water of

bitterness

and

husband, has lain

woman

that

astray though you were if you have defiled yourself

gone

with

you, [then

take the oath of the curse and

say

262

Interpretation to the woman]

"the Lord

make you an execration and an oath

Lord

your people when the

among your

body

your

bowels

swell; may

say "Amen,

and make your thigh

woman

drink the

waters of

and

and

in

a

he

shall make

book

and wash

the

into her

and cause

offering

of

her bitter

jealousy

pain.

And

out of the

offering before the Lord shall take a handful of the

and shall wave the cereal

it to the altar;

and the priest

offering, as its memorial portion, and burn it upon the altar,

cereal

the

and afterward shall make

has

woman shall

that brings the curse and the water that

water

curse shall enter

hand

bring

And the

bitterness;

the priest shall take the cereal woman's

and

the curse pass

away."

fall

these curses

priest shall write

into the

brings the

brings

Amen."

Then the them off

fall away into

makes your thigh

the water that

woman

drink

the water.

And

when

he

her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and unfaithfully against her husband, the water that brings the

made

acted

curse shall enter and

her thigh

her

bitter pain,

and cause

fall away,

shall

her

and

and the woman shall

body

shall swell

become

among the people. But if the woman has herself and is clean, then she shall be free and shall execration

not

an

defiled

conceive

children.

This is the law in

case of

her husband's authority, the spirit of

jealousy

wife; then he

perversion

Here

have the

we

but the

is hard to

innocence,

astray

her

the

woman

all

this

woman shall

shake.

In

and guilt must

But,

as we

a case of

be

when a wife, though under

defiles herself, or when he is jealous of his

and

law

proven.

at

before the Lord

law. The

man shall

bear her

case of a man who suspects

or perhaps no grounds at all. monster

jealousy,

comes upon a man and

shall set

shall execute upon

goes

his

and the priest

be free from

perversion.

wife and

is jealous

know from Othello, the court, there

Within

a

can

be

on

little

green-eyed

a presumption of

family, however, for

the sake of

domestic peace, innocence must be proven. The Bible does not wish to defend that fact, but merely to deal with it. Guilt is often a very difficult thing to establish, but it

is usually impossible to establish innocence. If the husband is in bad error, disposition, it would be easy to say, "That's his Unfortunately, however, it has become the wife's problem too. The measured and

problem."

or of a

austere trappings of

ceremony allow the wife to pass through her trials without is intended to be a way through which the husband can

grave

danger. The

come

to terms with his

ritual

jealousy,

so that peace can return to

I believe that this law is intended to the

biblical

contention that a

our attempt

At

and

ritualistic act must

play

life.

understanding

of

a critical part

in

to deal with perversion.

Now is the time to

Priest,

formal

family

give the reader some

only

one point

an odd

in the

retell

the story of the

handful

of quotations

middle of their

life from

and our

the death

list

of

Aaron the

will remain.

first conversation, Moses had

said to

God

263

The Book of Job Exo. 4:10

"Oh, my Lord, I hast

thou

spoken to

am not a man of

speech, either heretofore or since

servant; but I am

thy

slow of speech and of

tongue."

We

him,

first. On the contrary, the more we get to know he seems. But God does seem to have understood some

cannot understand that at

the more eloquent

thing,

it was, it

and whatever

Exo. 4:11

Then the Lord him dumb,

makes

Him very

made

Now therefore go,

him, "Who has made man's mouth? Who deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? to

said or

angry.

I

and

will

be

with your mouth and teach you what

speak."

you shall

But Moses

again

Exo. 4:13

protests,

"Oh, my Lord, the

LORD

was

brother,

your

is coming

kindled

against

Moses

and

Levite? I know that he

the

person."

send, I pray, some other

out to meet

Then the

he said, "Is there

can speak

well; and

anger of

Aaron, behold, he

not

you, and when he sees you he will be glad in his

heart."

This is the first time

of Aaron, and we might be a bit surprised to This anger "Aaron, your brother, the might lead us back to remember the first pair of brothers, and might even momentarily cause us to remember how their own father, Levi, once treated his newly adopted brothers, the men of Shechem; but these ominous feelings soon

pass,

The

did

pair

pieces

still to

minded of the

Such is the fall from

hear

anger as

first meet, the occasion is quite joyous. The slaves were freed, and slavery is a terrible thing.

the two

and when

What they did

we

Levite."

hear him introduced in

well.

was

be

right,

marvelous, but after it was over there were many Even before they escaped Egypt, they were re by the innocent among the guilty on the other side.

even

picked up.

harm

suffered

in

norm

all

countries, but Israel had been

commanded not to

let it

memory.

Exo. 13:15

For all the

when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord slew first-born in the land of Egypt, both the first-born of man and

the first-born of cattle. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that

first

open

the womb; but all the first-born of my sons I redeem.

After the escape, they came to a water hole at Marah, but the water was bitter and the people complained. God didn't make much of a fuss though. He

just He

showed

threw

Moses

it in

and

a

tree,

and

Moses

seemed

the water turned sweet.

to know

God

was

instinctively what to do. hoping the people would

how foolish they had been when they came to twelve the bend at Elim. There had been no need for the miracle. see

springs

just

around

264

Interpretation

Then there

was the affair of the manna and after

On that day, the

water.

that

people showed

they

that more

complaints about

incapable

were

trusting

of

the given course of things, but would need miracles, and so the Lord

said

to to

Moses, Pass

Exo. 17:5f.

Israel;

before

on

in

and take

Behold, I

and go.

the people, your

will stand

and you shall strike the people

"Strike":

second

with you some of the elders of

Nile, Horeb;

rod with which you struck the

before

you

there on the

rock at

rock, and water shall come out of

it,

that the

may drink.

imperative, singular; Amaleq, Jethro,

"Strike."

person,

We

must remember that.

Moses'

After

a

with

war

argument quite similar

Moses that the as

taking

hand the

rule of

father-in-law, appeared. By an Politics, he convinced hand, no law can be so fashioned

to the one found in Aristotle's

law is best. On the

one

to be able to deal adequately with each of the infinite number of convoluted

cases which can arise

can,

so

long

available, and when person.

in the

they

human

course of

he may face them

as

are, the

by

one

affairs as well as

one.

But

becomes too

work soon

the wise man

wise men are not always great

for any

one

Laws, then, are needed to guide others. So Moses made preparations, Mount Sinai, and received the Law. This was the law that Jethro had

ascended

spoken of.

Although it has

a

what we sometimes call the

proem,

mandments, the bulk of the law proper, Exodus

Ten Com

21-23, is essentially

a

law

governing the actions of men in their relations with other men. When Moses returned he told the words that he had heard to the people, and only after they had agreed to follow them, did he write them all down in the Book

of

the Covenant.

Exo. 24:7

Then he took the Book of

the people; and

do, Thus it

and we will

seems to

before they ceremony

could

once

Exo. 24:3ff.

be

they

of the

Covenant,

and read

it in the

hearing

said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will

obedient."

have been important to Moses that these laws be be

committed to

they had been Moses

and then read again aloud

writing down.

accepted

in

a great

written

came and told the people all the words of the

Lord

and all

the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said,

"All the

words which the

wrote all the words of the and

built

according

an altar at the

Lord has

Lord. And he

foot

of the

to the twelve tribes of

among the

people of

Israel,

and put

it in the basin,

rose

And Moses

early in the morning,

mountain, and twelve pillars,

Israel. And he

who offered

peace offerings of oxen to the

blood

do."

spoken we will

burnt

sent

young lads from

offerings and sacrificed

Lord. And Moses took half

and

half

of the

of the

blood he threw

against

265

The Book of Job the altar.

Then he took the book

hearing

of

we will

do,

the people; and

they

be

and we will

of the

it in the

and read

covenant,

said, "All that the Lord has

obedient."

And Moses

spoken

blood

took the

and

threw it upon the people, and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant

Lord has

which the

made with you

in

accordance with all these

words."

But

Nadab

Moses'

sacrifice

led to

a strange event

Exo. 24:9ff.

Then Moses elders of

Israel

Aaron, Nadab,

and went

his feet

was under

very heaven for

up, and

as

Moses'

ceremony,

Some

11, but

readers

had

which

may

of

saw most

Moses failed to see,

until

God

and of

lay

not

seventy

Israel;

10,

it hits

problem

on the chief

and ate and

drank.

somehow gone

others not until the end of verse us

in the

at

once, and

him

give

of the

and there

stone, like the

his hand

middle of

the Book of

immediately

called

laws

called the

Abihu,

and which

a second set of

a sacrifice.

The idea We

soul.

was

wish

is

of

When God

and

Cain,

human

law

soul which no

From the biblical

highest

lowest

and the

need to sacrifice.

nor

Abel, It is

origin.

nor a

Noah

wild

was asked

nest of

to give

interwoven

to become the whole

We

whole

by destroying the other; we wish by symbolically destroying ourselves in

God, and we bribe Him. in Nadab and Abihu, He quickly turned

give ourselves unto

that wildness

saw

Nadab

in the human

a strange melange of the

It is the human

to submerge ourselves into the of the other.

actions of

man and man could abolish.

we remember that neither

contradictions.

the form

Abihu,

been commanded, had

verse

clearly in the

view, this wildness

is in the human

First,

and

saw the

And he did

was a certain wildness

governing the action between there

Aaron's sons,

Stone.

What God

point of

of

were a pavement of sapphire

nowhere

Numbers. God, however, saw the Moses back up to the mountain to Tablets

they

Israel; they beheld God,

it in

sense

feel nothing

most of us

it

clearness.

men of the people of

awry.

concerning two

Abihu.

and

to

Moses:

Exo. 24:12

The Lord there;

wait

law

The

said to

and

I

Moses, "Come up

will give you

and the commandment, which

I have

written

next seven chapters give an account of the plan

tabernacle and the

installation

of

its

priests.

Abihu, but it is full

of number and order.

to

description

give a complete

acacia

to me on the mountain, and

the TABLETS OF

of

It

The

STONE, for their

for the

building

meets the needs of

passage

is

much

with

too

the

instruction."

of

Nadab

long

the and

for

us

the gold and the silver, the scarlet and the

wood, or even the lampstand and the turban and the ephod,

but the

266

Interpretation

reader's

head

be full

should

things that we must

proper

thinks about the

he

when

discuss.

now

Chapter Twenty-Eight is deur

these splendors

of all

a wonderful presentation of all the

and gran

pomp

to the office of the High Priest.

Exo. 28:1 Iff.

"As

jeweler

a

engraves

signets,

so shall you engrave the two

stones with the names of the sons of

Israel;

in

you shall set

filigree

settings of gold

A

stones.

And

....

you shall enclose

sardius, topaz, and carbuncle

row of

and the second row an

And

you shall make the robe of the ephod all of

in it

an

them

rows of

be the first row;

shall

sapphire, and a diamond

a

emerald,

in it four

blue. It

.

.

.

have

shall

opening for the head, with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a garment, that it may not be torn. On its skirts you shall make pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet

stuff, around its skirts, with bells of gold between them, a

golden

bell

and a

pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate,

round about on the skirts of the robe coat

in

linen, In the

checker work of

fine linen,

And

....

you shall weave the

and you shall make a turban of

and you shall make a girdle embroidered with needlework

middle of all this

however,

pageantry,

we

.

fine

.

.

told of Aaron's more

are

serious purpose.

Exo. 28:35ff.

"And it shall

and when pure

the

he

be

upon

And

and

he

Aaron

goes

front

We

The

read

it, but

rest of

Exo. 28:41

we

of the turban.

Aaron

"And

place

and

its

sound

before the Lord,

engraving

It

shall

be

of a

signet,

by

lace

a

of

'Holy

to

blue; it

Aaron's

upon

BEAR THE PERVERSION OF THE

shall

Israel hallow

forehead,

that

as their

holy

they may be

Lord."

not yet understand.

the chapter seems to go well,

but

you shall put them upon

sons with

holy

on the turban

which the people of

before the

do

the

fasten it

you shall

gifts; it shall always be upon his accepted

the

it, like

engrave on

HOLY THINGS

he ministers,

when

into

out, lest he die. And you shall make a plate of

comes

on the

forehead,

be

when

gold, and

Lord.'

shall

shall

be heard

him,

again the end gives us pause

Aaron

your

brother,

and upon

his

and shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate

them, that they may serve me as priests. And you shall make for them linen breeches to cover their naked flesh; from the loins to the thighs

they

shall

when altar

they

reach; and go

they

into the tent

to minister in the

AND DIE. This

descendants

shall

of

holy

be

him."

after

shall

be

upon

meeting,

place; lest

Aaron,

and upon

or when

his sons,

they they BEAR PERVERSION

a perpetual statute

for him

come near the

and

for his

267

The Book of Job Chapter Twenty-Nine deals describes the

ter

appointment of off

for

a

the installation of

that makes

perfume

Bezalel, but it

and

the next chap

things smell sweet. Then comes the

all

will make

Aaron,

things clearer

if

we put that

discussion

bit.

When Moses

came

law,

is

of this

with

which

Exo. 31:18

down from the mountain, God

again

Tablets

Meanwhile,

specifically

of

the people,

Stone,

to

referred

gave

the

finger

written with the

of

him

of

return,

rings

form

a written

Tablets

of

Stone.

God.

Moses'

despairing

them a god. Aaron collected all their

as

Aaron to

asked

make

gold, fashioned them into a calf,

of

and said

Exo. 32:4ff.

"These land

are your

Egypt!"

Aaron

gods, O

Israel,

When Aaron

of

saw

who

brought

this, he built

made proclamation and said,

"Tomorrow

you

out of the

up

before it; and be a feast to the

an altar shall

Lord."

to

God, showing Himself angry to Moses, threatened to consume them all, and start anew. He said to Moses, as He had once said to Abram, "I will make Moses'

nation."

you a great

answer was a

made a promise

in the

to the

fathers,

world could ever

and

it is

slow,

reasonable

defense. God had

to break that promise, no nation

were

trust Him again.

And the LORD

Exo. 32:9

if He

a stiff-necked

may burn hot

said

to

Moses, "I have

seen this

I may consume them; but But Moses besought the LORD his

against them and nation."

make a great

said, "O

LORD, why does thy

thou hast brought with a

forth

wrath

out of the

burn hot

land

of

against

Egypt

by

thy

of you

God,

and

Israel, thy

thine own self, and

didst say to

will

inherit it for

thought to

But Moses

perhaps

it

"

ever.'

do to his

was all

just

a

And the LORD

will

people, whom

multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, shall

I

and

with great power and

mighty hand? Remember Abraham, Isaac,

servants, to whom thou didst swear

them, T

behold,

people, and

people; now therefore let me alone, that my wrath

and all and

they

repented of the evil which

he

people.

test,

and

if it

was a

test,

what was

God testing

God had, in fact, offered Moses the chance to supplant his father Oedipus had once done to his father. If the point of the test was to

about?

Abraham,

as

for himself that he was capable of rejecting the chance of sup father in order to save his people, he had done well. planting his But if it was a test of his sobriety and understanding, he had passed in let Moses

see

speech, only to

fail in

everything had

changed:

action.

When he faced the

actual situation of the

moment,

Interpretation

268

Exo. 32:19

And

Let

look

us

more

broke the tablet Stone

which

anger

and

broke

them

God had

Moses actually did in verse 32:19. He but the tablet. This is, presumably, the Tablet of

at what

closely

not the

camp and saw the calf and the burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his at the foot of the mountain.

came near the

Moses'

dancing, hands

he

as soon as

book,

promised

to give Moses in Exodus 24:12 and

had actually given him in Exodus 31:18 Exodus 32:15. This he

day

and which were still

which

He

in his hand in

that according to the Book of Exodus the tablet Moses broke the down from the mountain did not contain what we today, and for

means came

many days gone past, have called the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:2-17. Rather, it was the laws of the tabernacle, Exodus 25:1-31:18. Moses had

seen

a glorified and none of

irrational

the altar still

own sons

out of

the Land

tamed

by

Moses'

the

Nadab

and

Egypt."

of

reaction

of

lawgivers, only Aaron

of

High Priest. In the discussion

quired a

taste

his

so

why

his

of

But the

all

holy

Cain,

we

and

the

saw

sons

intricacy

of art.

Ham

rise

ended

saw

his

up

of the arts was the

a

tower,

as a

antediluvian origins, and the sight

and what explains the

perversion of the

different

now.

so that wildness could

The

be

Amorites is perverse

contained

by

begin to

the walls of the saw

by

order and

God

number.

In

order

gave the arts.

"And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze.

we can

Moses

was

had to become transformed into

.

within

That

line

not yet complete.

to meet the problem, Bezalel was appointed, and

Now

final

Noah accidentally ac farmer, a drunken farmer.

simple

poor,

could never come to trust the new covenant.

built

The

that was

Exo. 31:3-4

have

sort of

that room had to be made for the

that the

Later,

he, too,

night on which

Gen. 15:16

would

different

take onto himself the more dangerous position

act of perversion.

fascinated him that he one of

seen

was a

to the irrational meant that while he was the best

could

for the arts,

This led to that

calf, and he

golden

it. But Aaron

he had already seen come out "This is the Abihu; God, O Israel, that brought us What he did not see is that wildness could only be

precision of number and

irrational

outgrowth of

on

the human soul, perhaps a side

side of

in his

had homs

way, he had

bumbling

own

for the

substitution

placating

it. Even

In his

a man.

through God's trick. The tabernacle was nothing more than

understand

why the danger

.

of

death

always

lurks

Holy Tabernacle.

that the new was so close to the old that

chance unless the old was

firmly

put out of the way.

it

would not

have

a

269

The Book of Job Exo. 32:25ff.

And

when

Moses

saw that the people

had broken loose (for

Aaron had let them break loose, to their shame among their enemies), then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, "Who is

on the

Lord's

me."

Come to

side?

And

gathered themselves together to says the

Lord God

of

Israel, 'Put every

to and fro from gate to

and go

every man his brother, man his

and

all the sons of

him. And he man

his

sword on

gate throughout the

every

man

Levi

them, 'Thus

said to

his side,

camp, and slay

his companion,

and

every

neighbor.'"

In this way, the

sons of

Levi became the Levites,

and we remember

Hamor,

zeal purified.

Moses knew that he did Exo. 33:16

"For how and and

thy thy

fully

not

shall

people?

understand these changes and

it be known that I have found favor in thy sight, I not in thy going with us, so that we are distinct, I

Is it

people, from

all the other people that are upon the

earth?"

And the Lord

I

spoken you

Moses had slow

will

do; for

accept the

Exo. 34:1-7

of

of the

glory."

show me

thy

bit to learn that day. He learned that God

a good

Tablets

you

Moses said, "I pray thee,

to anger, and many other

face

Moses, "This very thing that you have have found favor in my sight, and I know

said to

name."

by

said,

things, but the first thing he had

was

to

merciful,

learn

was

to

Stone.

Lord

said to

Moses, "Cut

two tablets of stone

like the first; and I first tablets,

will write upon the tablets the words that were on the

broke. Be ready in the morning, and come up in the Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me on the top the mountain. No man shall come up with you, and let no man be

which you

morning to of

seen throughout all the

mountain; let no flocks or herds feed before

mountain."

So Moses

that

cut two tablets of stone

like the first;

and

he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone. And the Lord descended in the proclaimed the name of the

Lord. The Lord

proclaimed, "The

Lord, is

Lord,

the

him there,

and

before him,

and

cloud and stood with passed

God,

a merciful and gracious

abounding in loving kindness and truth, keeping love for thousands, bearing perversion and transgression and

slow to anger, and steadfast

sin, but

who will

perversion of the and the

In the

remainder of

the Tablets of Stone the

Golden

Calf,

fourth

the

by

no means clear

fathers

upon

[the guilty], visiting the

the son and the son's son, to the third

[generation]."

book, Moses demonstrates in

by instituting

emerges as

act that

them word for word, and

High Priest.

he has

Aaron,

accepted maker of

270

Interpretation

We lies

cannot spend as much time on

directly

in

the Book

our path.

Now Nadab

Lev. 10:1-4

and put

and

fire in it,

Abihu,

laid incense

and

on

died before the Lord. Then Moses Lord has said, T

Now

was

It

and

holy be

will

And fire

devoured them,

and

Aaron, "This is

among

God had

they

what the

those who are near

honored.'"

And Aaron held

too clearly back when

seen all

The

uncommanded sacrifice.

vision of

the "pavement of

was

drink."

right time to "behold God, and eat and God to call Moses back up to the mountain to

that act which caused of

Moses

sapphire"

too wild, and it was not the

him the Tablets

came

peace.

we can all see what

the

I

commanded them.

said to

will show myself

me, and before all the people

his

Aaron, each took his censer, it, and offered unholy fire

the sons of

before the Lord, such as he had not forth from the presence of the Lord

made

Leviticus, but Chapter Ten

of

Stone. Moses had

performed a sacrifice with

give

"the young lads

Israel"

from among the children of at a time when there were no proper priests, and now Aaron's sons are dead; but a promise is a promise, "And Aaron held his

peace."

The

rest of

follows:

the chapter reads as

Lev. 10:4-20

And Moses

called

Mishael

and

Elzaphan,

the sons of Uzziel the

them, "Draw near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the So they drew near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses had said. And uncle of

Aaron,

and said to

camp."

Moses

lest

Aaron

said to

let the hair

and to

Eleazar

heads

and

Ithamar, his do

sons, "Do not

clothes, hang loose, die, and lest wrath come upon all the congregation; but brethren, the whole house of Israel, may bewail the burning of your

and

not rend your

you

your

which

Lord has kindled. And do

the

tent of meeting,

lest

you

die; for

from the door

not go out

the

oil of the

of

the

Lord is

anointing And they did according to the word of Moses. And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, "Drink no wine nor strong drink, you nor your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die; it shall be a statute for ever throughout your you."

upon

generations.

You

common, and

are to

teach the people of to them

by

offerings

for it is

holy

clean;

all the statutes which

and

the

and you are to

the Lord has spoken

said

to Aaron and to Eleazar and

Ithamar, his

sons

left, "Take

by

the cereal offering that remains of the fire to the Lord, and eat it unleavened beside the

altar,

holy; eat it in a holy place, because it is your due and due, from the offerings by fire to the Lord; for so I am

most

sons'

your

Israel

unclean and the

Moses.

And Moses who were

distinguish between the

between the

commanded.

But the breast that is

waved and the thigh that

is

271

The Book of Job offered you shall eat

in any clean place, you and your sons and for they are given as your due and your

daughters

with you;

due, from

the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the people of

Israel. The thigh that is

bring

shall

your

sons'

offered and the

with the offerings

fire

by

breast that is

of the

fat,

offering before the Lord, and it shall be yours, you, as a due for ever; as the Lord has

waved

they

to wave for a wave sons'

with

and your

commanded."

Now Moses

diligently

inquired

about

the goat of the sin offering,

behold, it was burned! And he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying, "Why have you and

not eaten the sin

thing

holy

most

perversion of

the sanctuary.

have

offered their sin

Lord;

and yet such

the sin

mourning

world around

diligently

inquire

Moses

offering

and their

and

his

living

that fear might

eat

Thus,

to treat any

There is

have

hold

taken

and so of what

of

angry

of

if it

Aaron,

and spoke

to

and

to him.

that he might

perversion"

of

had happened it

is

he

was addressed

to "bear the

were profane

from the

then did

the

was not a good content."

a perversion.

the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offering is eaten on

credited

bear his

perversion.

from the Book

chapters after

The Lord when

This is

sight of

day, he who offers it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be to him; it shall be an abomination, and he who eats of it shall

one more tale

full

Lev. 16:1

sacrifice as

If any the third

six

was

and

Only

the sin offering, and this time it was Moses who "was

Lev. 7:18

teen,

He

that the question

be unwilling to "eat the sin people. Aaron calmly said that because to

from the dead

sons

them and inquired of their well-being.

offering"

day

burnt offering before the

offering today, would it have been acceptable in the And when Moses heard that, he was content.

about the goat of the sin offering.

was worried

part of

things as these have befallen me! If I had eaten

Ithamar, but Aaron knew

and

brought into the inner

Lord?"

Moses disassociated Aaron

Eleazar

was not

You certainly ought to have eaten it in the sanctuary, And Aaron said to Moses, "Behold, today they

commanded."

I

the

the congregation, to make atonement for them before

Lord? Behold, its blood

the

as

offering in the place of the sanctuary, since it is a has been given to you that you may bear the

and

Leviticus to be told. Chapter Six

the one we have been

spoke to

they drew

one of the ways

of

near

Moses,

after the

before the Lord

the author

two apparently unrelated accounts.

has

of

discussing

death

and

begins:

of the two sons of

Aaron,

died.

indicating

a

relationship between

Interpretation

272

This

hood, is to

begins

account

of

his

again warning Aaron of the dangers linen breeches and the girdle, and of the

by

need of the

of

the priest

turban.

Aaron

bull for himself.

sacrifice a

Lev. 16:7

"Then he

door

the

shall take the two

goats, and set them before the Lord at

meeting; and Aaron shall cast lots upon the two

of the tent of

goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel. And Aaron the goat on which the lot fell for the

shall present

offering; but the

sin

before the Lord to

presented alive

be

After

much

away into the

sent

"And

Lord,

and offer

lot fell for Azazel

it,

make atonement over

wilderness to

it

as a

be

shall

that it may

Azazel."

we read

preparation,

Lev. 16:20ff.

goat on which the

he has made an end of atoning for the holy place and meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat; and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and when

the tent of

confess over

him

transgressions,

head

of the

is in

perversions upon

Which The

ing

he

readiness.

him to

The

a cut-off

goat shall

land;

and all

shall put them upon the

and

bear

he

by

the

hand

all their

shall

let the

goat go

wilderness.'

the

goat goes out alone

central

all their sins; and

goat, and send him away into the wilderness

of a man who

in

Israel,

all the perversions of the people of

their

of the

teaching

the problem of perversion

into the

cut-off world

is just

a matter of chance.

Torah concerning the Levites and hence is presented near the beginning of Book

concern of

Num

bers: 3:12-13

Behold, i have

taken the Levites from among the people of Israel. be mine, for all the first-born are mine; on the day that the first-born of the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own

The Levites I

slew all

all the

I

am

first-born in Israel, both

of men and of

beasts, they

shall

be

mine.

the Lord.

We have already Exo. 13:1 If.

shall

seen a similar passage

And

when

in time to

in Exodus: "What does this

come your son asks you,

mean?"

say to him, "By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of bondage. For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord slew all the first-born in the you shall

land

of

Egypt, both

Therefore I

womb; but all the

But

Aaron.

now

the

the

first-born

sacrifice to the

Lord

first-born

Levites have been

of

of man and the

my

substituted

first-born

all the males that

sons

I

first

of cattle.

open the

redeem."

for Israel,

and soon

it

will

be only

273

The Book of Job Let

us

slowly.

to understand the

try

First

chosen,"

of

but in

chosen of the

passage

from Numbers

the word does

common parlance

field"

going through it

by

"first-bom"

all, the word I have translated

first fruits,

imply

literally

quite

"the

means

first-bom. "The

the

simply necessarily the best fruits. But among men, there is always a struggle between the two meanings. In what sense can Levi be understood to be the first-bom? In fact, Reuben was

the

first-bom,

Gen. 29:32

means the

not

the chosen one.

And Leah

conceived and

bore

son, and she called his name

a

Reuben.

Reuben had just been first-bom."

And

rael's

to

be

called

"the

"the

"the

chosen one":

Reuben, Is

people of

the present passage, Reuben will continue

chosen one":

Num. 26:5

Reuben,

family

I

first-bom

of

Hanochites;

of

the

the

of

Reuben himself was,

found

called

even well after

one might

the sons of Reuben: of

Israel; Pallu,

jolly

say, a

family

the

Hanoch, Palluites;

of the

bumbler. He

was

the

boy

the

that

and gave it to his playing in the fields mother (Genesis 30:4). But when Rachel died, and his father was out of town, he slept with Rachel's handmaid Bilhah. I suppose he thought that his father's

the mandrake

connection as

suppose while

to Bilhah had been severed and Bilhah

I say, incompetent

Of the sons, he

and

Gen. 37:19-22

a

pit,

now

try

intending

And they

Come

to rescue Joseph. He planned to have the to return later and take the

said one to another,

therefore,

and

let

us

pit, and we will say, Some evil shall see what will and

him. And Reuben

that

he

father

However,

as

his

worked.

The boys

Judah's

plan

Reuben later was

dead

of

pit that

might

his

dreamer

this

home.

cometh.

his dreams. And Reuben heard it,

hands;

them, Shed

is in the wilderness, out of their

and no

and

hands,

lay to

said, Let

blood, but hand

no

us not cast

kill

him

upon

him;

deliver him to his

again.

brother Judah saw, the

too angry, and

getting the

and rent

of

Behold,

boy

slay him, and cast him into some beast hath devoured him: and we

out of their

said unto

rid him

much wiser

were

returned

become

he delivered him

into this

his inheritance. He was,

was

not understand such things.

the first to

was

brothers throw him in

did

boy

they

would

out of the

to the pit and saw that clothes.

Apparently, he

plan would not

have found

have

another occasion.

country was much wiser. When it was empty, he thought the boy never

knew

of

Judah's

alternative

plan. were standing before Joseph in fear, he had happened to Joseph and to feel the guilt.

When the brothers remember what

was

the

first to

Interpretation

274

And Reuben

Gen. 42:22

lad? But

the

to

returned

let them take the young who

you would

blood."

for his

When he

Canaan,

and the sons were

Benjamin

boy

Jacob to

to persuade

trying

Egypt, it

them back to

with

was

Reuben

said,

Gen. 42:37

Slay

Of course, that

But, Isaac,

so

far

my two

him back to

bring

not

you.

Reuben

I

as

if I do

sons

be the very last thing that Jacob would have wanted. was a decent fellow, but quite a bumbler, and

would

before, know,

as we said

the only man chosen because he was a bumbler.

was

That leaves Simon. Now Simon were

them, "Did I not tell you not to sin against not listen. So now there comes a reckoning

answered

and

Levi

were always

treated as a pair.

They

the two who attacked the men of Shechem after the affair with Dinah. It's

a rather

troubling

account.

After

speaking, the

a manner of

men of

Shechem

had become their brothers. When Hamor first described the

houses to his

two

union of the

own people

the situation seemed ideal.

So Hamor

Gen. 34:20ff.

and

his

son

Shechem

and spoke to the men of their with us;

let

land is large

will

when

he

male

Only Hamor

made

it

clear

establishment of

brothers then

let

the

us

not their

be

with

daughters.

us, to

Only

become

on this condition

one people: that circumcised."

circumcised as

they

are

cattle, their property and all their beasts be

us agree with

just

defending

and

them,

and

they

holy

will

dwell

ours?

us."

with

have effectively prevented the God had planned. Were the

nation which

a sister and a great

promise,

or were

they just

a pair of

say.

prognostication

Gen. 49:5ff.

among

dwell

that any such union would

fratricides? It's hard to Jacob's

us

us give them our

friendly

in it, for behold, the take their daughters in

and trade

the words

added

"Will

Gen. 34:23

let

the men agree to

every

Yet,

for them; let

enough

marriage, and

to the gate of their city

city, saying, "These men are

dwell in the land

them

came

Simon

is

and

somewhat strange.

Levi

O my soul,

are

brothers;

weapons of violence are their

into their council; O my spirit, be not joined to their company; for in their anger they slay men, and in their swords.

wantonness

fierce;

come not

they hamstring

and their wrath,

scatter them

in Israel.

oxen.

for it is

Cursed be their anger, for it is I will divide them in Jacob

cruel!

and

275

The Book of Job When Jacob

calls them

injustices

the grave

"brothers,"

led to

which that

Thirty-five. And indeed, his

he clearly has in

mind their rashness and

Dinah in Chapter

after the marriage of

realized, but in two very different

prediction was

ways.

The Sons

Levi became the

of

land, they

throughout the

Num. 18:20

And the Lord their

land,

since

they

distributed

were

territories of their own.

to

said

But

priests.

received no

Aaron, "You

have

shall

no

inheritance in

have any portion among them; I inheritance among the people of

neither shall you

am your

Israel."

portion and your

Simon's fate, on the other hand, from the tribe of Simon, and

was

came

borders

the

Book

of

of

Judah. Of the

Joshua,

but five

all

total obscurity. No men of importance the men of that tribe settled within

most of

sixteen cities which were granted to of were also

listed among the

Simon in the

cities granted

to the

tribe ofJudah (compare Joshua 19:1-9 with Joshua 15:20-62).

Before the

land, Simon

settlement of the

59,300, more than any of the book, that number

numbered

tribe with exceptions of Judah and Dan. At the end

had fallen to 22,200, less than any other tribe. By the end of the Book of Deuteronomy the tribe appears to have no independent existence whatsoever, hence it is the only tribe which does not Moses just before his death (Deuteronomy 33). and

Although it had been nearly

Egypt, by

the time

completely

Thus,

each

Simon went

to

which.

they

and

God,

in its Levi

Judah

own

to

land,

the tribe of Simon

left

"divided in Jacob

Azazel,

had been

to exist as an independent tribe.

in

and scattered

the two goats. A lot was

remind one so much of

and the other

The glory

and ceased was

way

blessing from

the most numerous tribe when the people

the promised

reached

by

absorbed

even receive a

if it didn't

as

Israel."

drawn;

one

matter much which was

the heinous character of their act left no other division

and

possible.

It again

should also

fell

upon

Now let

us

be

noted that when

more

closely

at

Behold, I have the

day

that

consecrated

and of

must

at their

be

slew.

Now let

look

.

at

.

I

shall

slew all

for my

beasts, they

noted

direct

behalf. "... I us

hostage

at

random, the lot

the terms of this debt.

taken the Levites

Israel. The Levites

First, it

chose a

Simon.

look

Num. 3:12-13

incurred

Joseph

own all the

that Israel

request.

the first-bom

shall

be

itself

I

neither

was

the conditions under

all the

of the

people of

first-born

land

of

are

was

am the

of men

Lord.

incurred the debt,

incurred

mine; on

Egypt, I

first-bom in Israel, both

mine.

Rather, it

But the debt

from among the

be mine, for

by

nor was

it

the Lord on their

there, in front of them, nonetheless. which the debt was incurred:

276

Interpretation

Insofar

had

as the people

Exo. 2:23-25

a request,

Israel

the people of

and their

Isaac,

with

cry

would

be hard to think

Lord began His reply Exo. 3:7-9

by

and

remembered

Egypt died. And and cried out

up to God. And

came

his

Jacob. And God

of

covenant with

saw

the people of

just

of a more

or more reasonable request.

saying:

seen

the affliction of

bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites,

Hittites,

the

Amorites,

the

Perizzites,

the

Hivites,

When

back to Egypt,

you go

heart,

so that

he

Pharaoh, Thus

I have

will not

says the

see that you

in

put

let the

your

I

people go.

And

conclusion seem

to

effects of the conditions of

fire

The two tales that

Aaron's

story:

It

he

plague,

you refuse

do

not

to let

have time to tell.

the time the heads

Aaron's became

when

Aaron,

the

desert

of

a

though not

of

the families

That, too, is part of be nature. Then, too, there Moses, could run into their tree.

Zin.

exactly like the beginning Then it was the desert of Sin,

the story was the same.

in

say to

son, and I say

it.

we must go to

changed

which we

could make art appear to

was

moved.

all

harden his

the reader might want to put together for himself.

one must remember are

the way

was the time of the

Now

pans

a rod to plant and

midst and quell

and

be that for the Bible, man is responsible for the ill his own existence, even though he may have in no

way participated in their coming to be. There were many other stories of Aaron acts with the

will

you shall

Lord, Israel is my first-born

"Let my son go that he may serve me"; if him go, behold, I will slay your first-bom son.

brought

me,

oppress them.

do before Pharaoh

power; but

to you,

each

Jebusites.

and the come to

words are:

the miracles which

His

The

and to

land

Exo. 4:21-23

The

Abraham, Israel, and

condition.

And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians

But His final

for

God heard

their

tians, the

bondage

king

bondage,

their

my people who are in Egypt, and have because of their taskmasters; I know their sufferings, cry I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyp

I have

heard

a

God

and with

God knew their

It

groaned under

under

their groaning, and

was:

many days the

course of those

In the

help,

it

The

all these years.

all over again: and this time

people revolted

Last time God had

it

almost as was the

for lack said:

if they hadn't of Zin. But

desert

of water.

Not

much

had

The Book of Job Exo. 17:6

Behold, I

before

will stand

shall strike the

you there on the rock at

and water shall come out of

rock,

it,

Horeb;

277

and you

that the people may

drink. "Strike!"

second

God

"Strike!"

imperative,

person,

singular,

told Moses to take up the rod, but this time, he said:

again

Num. 20:8ff.

Take the rod,

brother,

and assemble the

you shall

bring

drink to the

congregation, you and Aaron

your

to the rock before their eyes to yield its water; so

and speak

water out of

the rock for them; so you shall give

congregation and their cattle.

from before the Lord,

as

he

commanded

And Moses took the

him. And Moses

and

rod

Aaron

assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his rod gathered the

twice;

and water came

forth abundantly,

the congregation

and

drank,

and their cattle.

"Speak": tive,

second

person,

imperative,

plural; "Struck": third person, indica

singular.

The

people

had their

Num. 20:12

Because

"You

shall not

land

Israel,

day, but

second

the Lord said to Moses and Aaron:

believe in me, to sanctify

not

therefore

I have

which

bring":

did

you

the people of the

that

water

you shall not

bring

in the

me

eyes of

this assembly

into

given them.

person,

future,

plural.

Aaron

will

die for

what

Moses had done. We

can

full meaning of the end of God. Moses had said, "I am not a man of

finally

the

understand

Moses'

first

con

speech,"

versation with what

he

meant.

Like

Billy Budd, Moses in

was that same old anger of

Stone,

and now

it had

his that had

caused

him to

threw Aaron at him. "Is there not

They, too,

were

brothers, like

anger

lost the

once caused

strike

Aaron,

him to

up to the

Num. 20:28

top

of

is It

smash

the Tablets of

the rock. That was why God angrily

your

brother,

the

Levite?"

the first pair, and again one will

the action of the other. But now things have changed. azar went

and this

power of speech.

die because

Moses, Aaron,

and

of

Ele

Mount Horeb

And Moses

stripped

Eleazar his son; Then Moses

And thus Aaron bore the

and

and

Aaron

of

his garments,

Aaron died there

Eleazar

came

on

the

down from the

perversion of the children of

and put them upon

top

of the mountain.

mountain.

Israel. I've

never

been

how Aaron died. I only know that his son Eleazar became High Priest, but whenever difficulties and bloodshed arose, he was silently replaced by his son sure

Phineas.

Interpretation

278

If there is may

escape

lying

a perversion

by

returning to the If he [one

Lev. 17:16

wash them

behind

civilization

it does

not mean

that one

prepolitical:

who eats what

[his clothes]

and

dies

itself

of

bathe his

or

flesh,

is

by beasts] does

torn

he

shall

not

bear his

perversion.

It is can

also

kill

for Israel to know that if It has done

a nation.

Lev. 18:25

and that

it

can

Lev. 26:38f.

perversion

dealt with, it

and

and so

I

its

punished

perversions.

so again:

You

will

devour

shall

be lost among the nations and the land of your enemies [eat] you. Whoever among you is left will rot away on

account of their perversion

in the land

account of the perversion of their with them.

Only

"faced"

not

so once:

The land became defiled

do

is

two quotations

But if they

from

our

confess their perversion

list remain,

Yea,

of their enemies.

fathers they .

shall rot

I

.

and the reader

on

away along

will remember

may

read

.

.

.

them as

best.

seems

Num. 15:31

If

a soul raises

his hand [and murders]

...

his

perversion

is

upon

him. Deu. 19:15

A

single witness shall not raise

perversion or

The

...

eyes of

this tradition. However one reads

flesh? Can You

up

against

any

man

for any

.

question must still remain open as

aware of

means

any

sin

see?"

see as men

to mortal man? Do Your years pass

into my perversions and track down my 4. For Zophar, the incommensurability

to whether the author of Job

was

in 10:4-6, "Have You "Can time mean to You what time

it, Job

by

says

as our

years, that You

probe

back

sin?"

its

origins

realm

in the fact that the

far beyond its

make sense of

own

which

workings out of

ken. No

view except

has been perplexing Job finds human justice take place in a

God's

view

is large

enough

to

itself.

5. The problem, according to Zophar, is not merely one of having a large horizon. It is the myriad of little separate worlds, each of which might

enough

suddenly come into contact with any other, or other. No world can perceive its effect on any

claim a

being

from any God brings

apart

other world until

together, and then it is too late. 6. This incommensurability is only apparent and is due to the limited charac ter of man's superficial view of his own world. But if man were to clean his them

The Book of Job heart

own

of all

injustice,

and

trust in

is

emerge as the center of all that

God,

all would

be well,

279

and man would

visible.

CHAPTER TWELVE

1 Then Job

learning fall a

will

short of

joke2

joke,

a

2 "You are, indeed of the people and with you die, 3 but like you, I too have some understanding which does not Who is not capable of such things? 4 But now I have become answered and said:

yours.'

friends,

to my

innocent joke! 5 For those

simple,

for

always scorn

happens to for those

slip.3

ask

But it's

calamity.

6 Oh, there is

who enrage

7 Just

God,4

they

with

the sea can relate the tale for

the hand

of

11 Does

with

the old or

not

the ear

Both the

undoes

19 He

He

deep

15 He

no path.

like

a

security in their hand.

or the

birds in the sky, they can Even the fish in

teach you.

will

these

all

does

for

His

be

know that it

and

the breath of each food?7

They

12 Is

are counsel and

He

understanding, 14

in

closes

on

a man and

the waters and all is parched. He

overturned.

16 With Him

are strength and

the one who causes the error are His. 17

and

ravaged;

trustworthy

upon noble men and

23 He

grope

looses the

earth.

them.

He

24 He

makes

in the darkness

the mighty.

from the

20 He 21 He

22

the Shadow of Death destroys"

then He

obliterates

them

elders.

the well armed.

girdle of

darkness; He leads

madness.

loins.9

and subverts

and takes taste

makes nations great and

He leaves

bodily

wisdom

understanding?

rebuilt.

restrains

things from out of the

light.10

drunken

not

to go about ravaged; and judges He drives into

the peoples of the

25

it

the palate tastes

make

land is errs8

one who

expands nations and there of

a

of robbers and

placed

the belt of kings and binds a strip about their

disgrace

into the

heads

days

can never

the speech of the

unveils

out

you;

living thing

every

makes priests to go about

obliterates pours out

will show

are wisdom and valor.

makes counselors

18 He

in the tents

God Himself has

words as

of

sends them out again and the

He

answer'

think at their ease there is

who can

the earth and

of

try

does length

ever reopened.

soundness.

have him

there waiting for anyone whose foot

out

you.

soul6

He tears down

nothing is

and

this?5

13 With Him and what

God

9 Who among God that has done all

10 In his hand is the man.

on

peace enough

which

the beasts and

tell you, 8 or have a chat

was

'Call

one who would

wander

them.

He

the heart from the

through chaos with

light. He

makes them wander

share with a whole

people, while Job is

without a

man.12

Comments

1. alone

They live in

a world which

they

in his. Perhaps they understand that world as is only one and all must be heard.

yet each world

well as

any that live in it,

280

Interpretation

2. "a

laugh"

3. While Job has

a certain

that which comes only

with

kind

for Zophar's

of respect

time, reflection,

belief, he

and

wisdom of cannot

the ages,

totally ignore

things, the immediate look of things as it reveals itself to anyone immediately involved. But the surface is all too easily forgotten, and its

the surface of who

is

be

uncomfortable remnants can

escaped

them into a joke. At this

by turning

in his thought, this notion of immediate involvement is of prime impor for Job. Without it things are merely the way they are said to be. 4. The meaning of the text is obscure.

point

tance

5. For Job, this is the unintended irony lying behind Nineteen, "The heavens are telling the glory of

the great Psalms like

God."

or

word can mean

7. Although the Book "hearing"

"seeing"

Job

"palate"

and of the

is

knowing. The

by

means

of

Job 6:6

Can

Job is

first

is tasteless be

what

help

of some

subject

"knowledge,"

what makes

knowledge

of

in

came

between

imagery

the

of

to understand what

our attempt

up in:

eaten without salt or

have any taste? My soul contagion in my daily bread. white

Taste is

around the contention

wrapped

for the true image

and "taste"

"spirit."

"wind,"

"breath,"

6. The

does

worth while.

The taste

the slime of an

They

refuses to touch them.

are

like

is

of a world

egg

a

what

livable. Unlike seeing, taste includes the most important as object, its beauties and its uglinesses. Knowledge is not a passive

makes that world pects of an act.

It

to

itself to

presents

to know

ingest

is

a part of the

Job constantly standing

and

us

in

way that

such a

we cannot

but

react.

to comprehend the whole as an object outside

not

object,

either

plays with the

speech, as if the

were the same

thing.

Job 12:20

He

of

At this stage,

the

knower, but

to make it part of oneself, or to spit it out.

fact that the

knowing

palate

coming in

obliterates the speech of the

is

an organ of

both

and the speech

trustworthy

under

going

and takes taste

out

from the

elders.

Job 6:30

There is

no

know the taste

At

a certain point

Job 29:10.

in the text, Job

The

on

my tongue,

and yet

for

an ear

hushed,

had heard

it approved, because I had

and

says:

not

my

palate

and their tongue cleaved to

it blessed me;

an eye

saved a poor man when

and an orphan when there was no one else to

But later, Elihu

does

says:

voice of the nobles was

their palate, and

injustice

of ruination.

help

him.

he

had

seen

cried

out,

281

The Book of Job Job 33:2

Behold, I

my lips,

open

in my

and the tongue

begins to

palate

speak.

From these two statements, it's hard to know exactly what is meant by the "palate." word The least one can say is that it is an organ of taste and of speech: that it is not the tongue itself, but something which, in some way or another, the tongue.

can contain

When Job

says:

Job 31-30

Could I have over to sin

he

means that

his

is

by

unity

of an

reaction

He

curse as

least,

moment at

there

8. The

loins."

The

pain, anger

he

is, for Job,

delight. He

or

out of which

is necessarily have tasted the

would

to the notion that for the

adds

immediate

an

it, human

as we some

that speech

means

it. This

spoke

that speech can only be

word used

implies

interrelationship bordering

speech

it,

concerning

is the

and

on

human

for

also comes

other

effect

sounds as

is

if it

words,

civil

enhanced

came

disciplines them

by

kings

same root:

discipline

by forcibly

them

sees

The

"He

about their

undoes

discipline

a

replaced

the fact that the

by

Job

in the

word

for

"discipline."

disciplines

in Hebrew

which

of the text.

have been translating as from that same root, as if to

discipline has been

from the a

and

disarray

language

by

captured

"bind"

the discipline of

speech about a world.

wrong done inadvertently.

same as the word which we

the word

In

a

because it is

feeling

melange of order and

him is wonderfully

world about

undoes

like. He

you

me or

palate

to it.

means

Further,

if

awareness of

object,

9. The kaleidoscopic "belt"

not

pleasure or

in his

sinfulness

hate

evil

merely on the tip of his tongue, from within and hence implies room inside,

the speech came, a world accompanied

struck at those that

had found them, without giving my asking for his life with a curse.

by

speech

times say, but comes

hardship

rejoiced when

life because

come to

word

by

"He

a

loincloth.

"strip"

for

the discipline

say:

about their

also of

kings

and

loins."

10.

Well, I

Job 10:21f.

will

shadowy death shadowy death

be going soon, going to and I will not return; to

At this point, for Job, the taunting chaos underlaying chaos which we do not see. 11.

causes

12. The ously, is

a

of roads to

of

land

whose

we see

whose

is only

and

light is

light is

darkness,

darkness."

a reminder of a

true

them to perish

surface

world, to which Job

crazy contradictory world, glory that lead

through that

land

a

A land

and without order

darkness

a

world

nowhere.

has

full

committed

But for

Job, it's

that we know Him. The world

to be a chaos, and yet that is where

it

himself to taking

seri

wisdom, valor, and madness; full

of

always

all

God's

world and

it is

is too orderly, too revelatory,

finds itself.

282

Interpretation

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

1 "All this my eye has seen; my ear has heard and understood. 2 Whatever know, I know, nor do I fall short of you. 3 I would speak with the Al

you

I

mighty!

wish

to argue with God. 4 But you are a bunch of worthless doctors

who plaster with

lies. 5 Who

to silence? It would be wisdom on

can move you

6 Hear my argument; listen to my quarrel. 7 Would you speak unjustly for God's sake? For His

your part.

treachery?

words of

Will that be you can

8 Would

your ace

in the hole

deceive Him

if

aphorisms are proverbs of

ash,

and to

your

sake would you speak

His

or argue

a mortal?

Him

10

even a

bulwarks, bulwarks

Do

Certainly

let His fear fall

for him. 9

case

comes to examine you?

deceive

you were to show

be to terrify

preference not

Him favor

He

when

as you can

would argue against you

His

you show

think

you

He Himself

hidden favor, 11 will upon you? 12 Your

of

clay.'

for my sake. I will speak, let come upon me what may. 14 do I take my flesh between my teeth and my life in my hands? 15 It may be that He will slay me. I have no higher None the less I will defend my ways before Him. 16 That too has become for me salvation, 13 Be

For

silent now

what reason

expectations.2

for the impious do

not approach

17 Listen, listen to my have laid

out

my

words.

case and

would contend with me?

With

I know I

Now,

20 But do two things for

Him.3

as

be

to my declaration. 18 I

19 Who is he that

vindicated.

things are I can only remain silent and perish.

me and

Remove Your hand from me,

your ears attend

shall

I

and

shall no

let

not

longer be hid from

Your terror frighten

your

face. 21 22 Then

me.

up and I will reply, or let me speak and You shall give answer. 23 How many are my perversions and my sins? Let me know my transgres sion and my 24 Why do You hide your face from me and think of me as summon me

vices.4

Your like

enemy?

25 Would You terrorize

a piece of

dry

me

like

a

driven leaf?

straw, 26 that You write bitter things

the perversions of my

youth?5

27 You

put

or put me

against me and

my feet in the

stocks.

You

to

flight

bring

up

scrutinize

my every wandering. You circumscribe the foundation under my feet, 28 and all becomes worn out like a rotten thing like a piece of clothing that the moths have eaten.6

Comments 1. Job begins this and

fully

such

is

part of

understood the

not capable of

his

argument with the assertion

that he has heard

tradition. The implication here is that the tradition

defending

itself. This leads to

a new

he says; "I would speak with the Almighty! I wish to argue with God." To uphold the tradition by denying the surface, or as Job thinks of

plastering

over

its

wounds with

lies,

that

is, by calling

as

turn of things when

things just

it, by

when

they

The Book of Job

of

foundation it

be just, is ultimately destructive of the tradition itself. The tme the tradition must ultimately lie at ease with the surface, and any

to

seem not

foundation

283

which must smooth over the surface

its

by implication,

and,

cannot

terms, is a "bulwark of 2. This is the ketir (what is actually written). The geri (how the tradition says it is actually to be read) would give "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in meet

on

clay."

own

Him."

3. Again, Job is playing been

My

litterateur. There is

what must

have

He has become for

and

and

me salvation.

Psalms 118:14. In Psalms 118:21

also mindful of the phrase

Job, by

the

to

Syrians

surface

Socrates, Job's his grasp

character to

strong for me, then thou

are too

caught

between the two

have demanded has

courage

of the

shalt

worlds.

what wisdom

in its

no existence

importance

me salvation.

play

with

the line. Joab

become for

The

me salvation.

human

surface and

has forbidden. As in the own

right, but is

in front

of the question

human concerns,

accordance with those

dom's

biblical

hast become for

his brother Abishai:

Job has been for the

answered and thou

the way, was not the only

once said

of

Lord,

in Exodus 15:2, Isaiah 12:2,

Thank thee that thou hast

If

the psalmic

strength and the music of the

which occurs

it is

with

a well-known phrase:

while

feeling

of

full

case of

integral

an

him. Job

the

care

part

must act

in

weight of wis

prohibition.

When quoting the

added the critical words some new

kind

of

too,"

"That

as

if to

In light

Job, like Socrates, implicitly piety. It may consist of our case, the Delphic

of the

first

verses of

suggests a need

attempt

salvation,"

me

he has

he may have glimpsed may be full of danger and

suggest that

salvation, though searching it out

require great courage.

Socrates'

"[it/he] has become for

phrase

the chapter, we can see that

to reconsider our notion of true

to understand the words

Oracle, by taking

of

the

them seriously, while

God, in

facing

the

claims of the surface.

We

must also remember

courage

that

in

verse

9, Job had implied

in Zophar that led him to his false

4. At this

point

Job

pauses

that

it

was a

lack

of

piety.

half in expectation, but receiving

no

reply, he

turns and goes on.

5. In this passage, Job, too, associates perversion with the long-distant past, a long-distant dead past. This was not the first time. Back in

but for him it is

Chapter Ten he had

said:

Interpretation

284

Have You

Job 10:4

eyes of

flesh? Can You

to You what time means to man?

Can time

see as mortals see?

Do Your

years pass

by

back into my perversions and track down my sin? Somewhere in Your mind I am not guilty, and yet there is none to

You

that

me

Not

denied

probe

but the

Told in

he is heir to

that

writings

to build

a past on which

of perversion

charge

a

of

a

is the true

of

long-forgotten perversion,

human man

piece of

is

dry

blowing

being

question of perversion with

the problem

watched:

Job 7:18

Yes,

and

let

will you

inspect him every morning and test him every minute. When be? You'll not even let me alone to swallow my own

me

I have sinned,

Supposing

spit.

Watcher Of Man?

become

burden

a

have

Why even

have I done to you, Oh Thou Great I

what

you set me on course against you so that

to myself?

Why

can you not pardon

forgive my perversions? For seek for me, but I am not.

transgressions or

dust. You

And

source

firm foundation. He becomes the

in every wind. Twice before Job had connected the

straw

save

from Your hand.

perversion

suffering.

mean

as our years,

again

will

now

I

and

loving

shall

my lie down in the

in Chapter Ten. Your dealings

Job 10:12ff.

with me were

full

of

life

care.

Your

guardianship watched over my spirit. But You treasured all these things in Your heart. I know what You have in mind; if I sin You'll be watching and You'll not clear me from my perversion. Well if I have been guilty the grief is mine, but even when I am innocent I

have been me and

and will soon

do

Job 14:16

Then

and

It is this

no

You

sense of

of what

so sated with reproach that no

see

feeling

of

honor is left in

only my feebleness.

so again:

the watch

because

I

longer

for my

would

sin.

My

You

would plaster over

being

keep

track of my every step, or be on

transgression would

my

be

sealed

up in

a pouch

perversions.

not because of anything he has done, but his inherited perversion, that has reduced Job

watched,

he is, because

of

to nonbeing.

People do indeed as some

form

suffer

for

the actions of past generations,

of poetic or even

to undermine that sense of

divine justice

honor

required to

rather than a

right the

but to

regard that

horrible necessity is

effects of those ancient

actions.

6. Here his

we get a closer

case and

it

can

be

look

at

made solid.

Job's first He

can

view of

the clash. He can

demand to know the

lay

out

exact nature of

285

The Book of Job

the charges laid up against him and their precise number. Such is the nature of all the evidence, but it is not clear that there is any way of presenting such

in the

evidence

Like

other court.

Job

Socrates,

human speech, but unless or sees, or knows will be worth the Cf. note to 7:21.

means of

can only speak or reply by be left for it, nothing that Job has, clothing that the moths have eaten.

room can piece of

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

1 Man up You

is born

('adam)

fresh bud

as a

Your

open

of

and withers.

to

eyes even

unclean

thing? Not

months.

You have

from him

gaze

7 For

the dust to

die, 9

branches like and

is

sea.

Set

long

become

roots

old

river

expires,

You to hide

fixed limit

back to life

again?

keep

have love for the

track

of

sion would

be

18 A place.8

me

mountain

overpowered

21 His was

work of

have

the land.

man,

sons were

unaware.10

has fallen

waters of

out

to

of an

his

number of

6 Then

turn Your

acceptable.4

are

and

he

(gebher) dies, is he? 11 The

and where

is dried

they

are no more

in the Pit

All the days

Your

be

my every step, sealed up in a pouch

away the dust

3 Can

him'

and its sprouting its stump is left in it bursts into bloom and sends out

and remember me.

or

19 The

sprouts

itself

renews

a wasteland and

Till the heavens

with

thing

the

hireling

as a

when a man

becomes

keep

in the land

the scent of water

10 But

along

a clean

cannot overstep.

down, it

tation for my release to come. 15 You would

bring

his days

as

cut

2 He

perishes

waters are

12 A

up.

man

shall not wake nor

be

slumber.5

can move me a

and still come

can

he

which

so

('adam)

The

and rises not.

13 Who

come

be,

sapling.

from their

passes?

at

young more. A man

no

roused

he

then

a

from the

lies down

let him

8 When its

never wanes.

gone

4 Who

him limits

of rage.

as a shadow and cannot endure.

that,

one such as

tree there is hope. If it is

a

by

5 His time is fixed. You

one!3

set

and

He flits

You?2

proceedings raised against

full

short-lived and

woman,

and

and

the

stones

resigned. never

I

knew

longer

no sin.

a rock

away

and

17

of

body surrounds him with

it.

You

You

transgres

perversions.7

my dislodged from its washed

hope. 20 You have

his face

They

pain,

My

will

expec

would

its torrents have

all mortal

mangled

in

would answer and

for my

away,

your anger

waited

would plaster over

trashed9

You

I have

16 Then

watch

You

So, You have

honored but he

22 His

hands.6

the

on

my

till

(gebher) dies,

a man

service

would call.

and crumbled

worn

he has

of

and conceal me

14 If

and sent

him

off.

in disgrace, but he his spirit is eaten away.

were

and

Comments 1. Note the

but

mankind

change

in his

to the third person. Job

own person.

will

defend

not

himself simply,

286

Interpretation

2. Man is

not

the

best

He is, in fact, "bom of that is the man whom Job has chosen

of all conceivable creatures.

woman, short-lived and full

rage,"

of

yet

to defend. Is God willing to judge mankind in terms of the highest goals of which they are capable, or will He insist upon the highest simply? It is one

judged

Job,

from within, but to feel constantly to ever be made to feel wanting is, for

to strive toward impossible goals

thing

by

them from without, and so

to render all those strivings meaningless.

3. Justice

must expect

thing the highest possible; to demand more be unjust. One wonders if these thoughts that Job

from

each

man, or of a tree, would is thinking at this juncture might nature in its classical sense.

of a

not

be

part of what

led

men to the concept of

4. If

man's nature is limited, a way must be found for him to be. 5. The compelling mood of this passage lies in the capacity of a man with thoughts so laden with death to give such full articulation to a world bursting with

life.

6. Thoughts

drifting

off

of the slumber of

into

over and merge

calling and him. It is a

a wonderful

into

The hands that

wide world

full

of room

which the

All the

a single world.

answering.

7. Job's daydream

death have tired Job,

daydream in

made

for

and now

he is slowly

two worlds begin to blur

There is

contradictions are gone.

Job

no

man and

culminates with an end

longer devour him, but love

for God.

to the watching and the

cessation

of all charges of perversion.

and the din of the clashing thousandfold, and the surface world has been nothing left but the pain of the lost dream.

8. Job suddenly wakes,

ied

a

9.

it

suddenly

feeling not

has been

washed away.

magnif

There is

caused to perish

10. This stand

worlds

the

as

verse seems rather

I

should wish.

wakes

gruffly

from his dream

and

can

do is to

able

to under

point out that when

Job

finds himself back in

the clashing worlds, his fall from the dream, his first thoughts concern of perversion, but its inverse. The problem has shifted from an

awakened

problem

critical, though I have not been

The best I

by

overburdensome awareness of

the acts of the

father

agonizing lack of awareness of the acts of the son have not been able to see the implications of the

on

the

part of

the son, to an

on the part of the

shift.

father, but I

The Book

of

Translation

and

Job

Commentary

on

Chapters 15-29

Robert D. Sacks St. John's College, Santa Fe

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answer such

Should he You have 5 Your

own

FEAR

has taught

mouth

deserted the

and

I,

you, not

have

a wise man even

the east wind? 3

with

grounds of all

your mouth and you

condemns

2 "Should

belly

idle talk that

argue with such useless words and

abandoned

perversion

6 Your

answered and said:

thoughts and fill his own

blustery

4

goes nowhere?

discourse

with

God.1

crafty tongue. lips have testified

chosen a

and your own

against you.

7 Were being2

Why, do

man

('adam)

before the hills? 8 Have

you

not

and

first

you the

have

know

you

set all wisdom aside

or understand

to be

been

for

bom? Did

listening

yourself.

that we are not

able

in

God's

9 What do

to?3

writhing into

you come

on

secret council?

you

know that

we

10 Both the hoary-headed

the aged are among us, more resplendent in days than your father. 11 Are

the compassions of God and His gentle words too meager for you? 12 What

hold

taken

of your

your spirit on

he

mortal that

himself

God

just?5

not clean

heart

and

should

15 He

in His

dredged

be

dazzled4

and so

such words

clean or one

16 And

bom

in His

puts no trust

sight.

your

what of

drinks up injustice like 17 I will show you. Listen to

up

out of your mouth?

of woman that

Holy

has

eyes, 13 that you have turned

Ones

he

14 What is

a

should consider

and even the

heavens

are

that abhorred and corrupted one, man,

water!6

who

thing

which

me!

the wise have reported

This thing have I

seen and will

relate, 18 a

from their fathers and have not withheld. 19 To

them alone has the land been given, and no stranger has gone among them. all his days and the number of his years lies 20 The guilty man writhes in hidden from those who can terrorize. 21 Sounds of fear are always in his ear. pain7

When he is will return wanders

ready like a

at

at ease a robber will

from the darkness,

for bread,

king

set

and

3

of

and

knowing

hand. 24 Narrowness

upon

he is

interpretation, Fall

can

have

no

trust that

ever on guard against a sword.

he

23 He

He knows only that the day of darkness is anguish oppress him. They overwhelm him

and

stretched out

will appear

1997, Vol. 25, No. 1

his hand

against

God,

and

commentary appeared in Volume 24, Numbers in future issues.

chapters of the translation and

Interpretation. The balance

him. 22 He

where.

for battle, 25 for he has

The first fourteen

2

not

fall

4

Interpretation

with

hero

the

played

against the

his thickly-bossed

Almighty. 26 Neck

27 His face is

shield.

down, he

Him

charges against

covered with

fat

and

his haunches

bloated.8

are

28 He dwells in

cities of

for the trash heap. 29 He

last,

not

nor will

his

desolation, in houses

will not

become

rich.

not

What

to be lived in wealth

bound

and

he does have

will

30 He

will

possessions spread themselves over the earth.

his be turned from the darkness, but a flame turned aside by own mouth will dry up his young saplings. 31 Let him not trust in deceitful the breath

not

nothing for his compensation will be 32 He will be finished before his time. His fronds

of

nothing.9

33 but like

green,10

his

a vine

he

cast off

will

cruelly blossoms like the olive, 34 for the

own

will never

his

congregation of

is

the polluted

and the tents of

toil and give

moisty

unripe grapes and reject

bribery are a consuming fire. 35 deceit."" birth to wickedness. Their belly brews

barren place;

turn to

They

a

conceive

Comments 1. For Eliphaz, the FEAR and earlier

he had

called

God is the

grounds of all

and your

hope,

discourse

God,

with

the simplicity of your

to understand the relation between FEAR and speech? Had

ways."

How

of

it "your surety,

are we

very opposite? "Remove Your hand from me, and let not your terror frighten me. Then summon me up and I will reply, or let me speak and You shall give

not

Job

claimed the

answer."

Job

to speak

wishes

means, in effect, to and

wrong,

course

in

of the

which

be heard in

with

abandon

just

God in terms

of the

Job, then,

must

be held in

2. The Revised Standard's "Were

The

is

you

right

human discourse, a dis voice is to be heard, it must

wants

the human voice is heard. If another

It

This

goals.

the concept of perversion in favor of notions of

and the unjust.

another way.

highest human

awe rather than

followed

brought forth before the

by

thought.

hills?"

is

not

very complicated one and we shall hear of it again. A fuller account of it can be found in the note to verse 1 of Chapter 39, but even now we can see that Eliphaz is accusing Job of believing that in anguish good enough.

and pain

he

because he

pulled

a

himself into being, nothing from the

received

his

that he owes

and

past.

He is

no

debt to the

older than the

feet, and the baseness of his origins is his pride He is, in fact, claiming to be wisdom, if not God himself:

stands on

shame.

word

own

Pro. 8:12

I, .

.

.

wisdom, dwell in prudence,

The LORD

acts of old.

and

created me at the

When there

there were no springs

were no

I find knowledge

beginning

depths I

and

past

mountains, and not

his

discretion.

his work, the first of his "brought when

of

was

forth,"

abounding with water. Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was "brought forth";

5

The Book of Job Psa. 90:2

Before the

formed the

forth,"

"brought

mountains were

or ever

thou hadst

from everlasting to everlasting thou

earth and the world,

art

God.

3. He is indeed accusing Job of pretending to know the primordial secret. root rzm is unknown outside of this verse. The Revised Standard has

4. The

do

"Why

flash"

your eyes

but

has "How

Greenberg

your eyes

have failed

you."

The Arabic

among many other things "to be in continual This is the lexicographical foundation for my trans

cognate means,

movement"

"to

or

agitate."

lation.

5. In many

ways

this is Eliphaz's most cutting argument.

commitment to the surface world

limited the horizons sufficiently questions

of

connected

they

be,

that world may

own

Underlying

notion that no matter whatever scraps

to things presently unseen, that

in their

raise

is the

inadequacy, they

by

can

Job's

how narrowly

they

contain are

pursuing them and the

lead beyond themselves

to a wider and more complete understanding of oneself and the world in which one

lives. saying "What has taken hold of your heart and so dazzled your eyes that have turned your spirit on God and dredged such words up out of your Eliphaz admits that Job has not simply and negatively turned him from

By you

mouth,"

God, but that something of human concern has "dazzled his This is, perhaps, Eliphaz's deepest insight into the nature For

a

fuller

explanation of what

Eliphaz has within one

somehow

horizon

I

mean

by

that,

see

the

eyes."

of

human thought.

note to

30:17.

vaguely seen that each man is always caught up What they do not see is a function of its scope.

or another.

The question, then, is whether anything of mere human concern can be of any ultimate concern. "What is a man that he should be clean or one bom of woman that he should

6. Back in

consider

verse

6, Eliphaz had

lips have testified

and your own

For Eliphaz, the himself, is not merely a meant.

an unclean and discourse"

just?"

himself

deeply

is nothing

surface

said, "Your

and now

against

world, the

world

superficial world as corrupted world.

more

own mouth condemns you not

you,"

than to

"fill

it is

clear what

I,

he

to which Job has committed

the other friends had thought,

To take it

otherwise as a

it is

"ground

of

wind."

one's

belly

with

A

the east

Job's arguments, but they can only crafty distract the mind and turn it from realizing its true position. Does Job think that he pulled himself into being? Does he not realize that his tongue may build

twisted view and a

salvation

lies in "the

these "useless

All denial.

men are

compassions of

words and

God

idle talk that

guilty, even His

and

His

words,"

gentle

rather

than in

nowhere?"

goes

Holy Ones,

but Job

more than all

because

of

his

6

Interpretation 7. For

reasons which will

become

in the

clearer

being"

in had been translated "come writhing into as it intends of in "writhes course, Eliphaz, pain."

8. "The guilty man lies hidden from the

writhes

in

his days

pain all

note

to

verse

a

39:1,

translated as

7 is here

bitter play

and

the word which

the

on words.

number of

he had

Eliphaz is thinking of what 7. Man's struggle is not his glory, but his shame. Guilt makes the world and rums his world into a battlefield. Since he has ruthless."

his

years

in

verse

said

man a stranger

to

there

is

home,

no

heroic in that nothing for him to defend with dignity. There is, in fact, nothing struggle to ennoble it, and it transforms him into a beast.

9. To

consider man as the

"trust in deceitful struggle are open

be

can

to be lost in that struggle, since no

behind him, is to the basis of that

other claim

for

legitimacy

for them.

made

10. The

beginning of man with nothing Any gains achieved purely on

nothing."

self-made man

in the

radical sense

can, as such, have no

definite

goal, and hence no sense of fulfillment.

1 1. His argues,

is

gle

the struggle as

sense of

being

the foundation of existence, Eliphaz

at

from thinking in terms It, therefore, degenerates into

prevents man

aiming.

of a goal towards which the struggle

for its

strug

own sake.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

1 Then Job Bringers

as you

and

said:

2 "I have heard

compassion, the

of a toilsome

blustery

such

answered

were you

instead

of me!

I

so much of this

of you! so?'

talk? What ails you that you

do if it

lot

whole

answer me

heap

could

3 Is

stuff.

there no end to

4 I too

could speak

words upon you and shake

my head; 5 strengthen you with my words or hold you in check by the motion of my lips. 6 But when I speak, my pain is not held in check, nor does it subside when

I

quiet.2

am

7 Oh how He has

8 You have

testify

sets

I

shriveled me

against

Foe5

My They

my

He

me.6

to taunt me.

He

shattered me.

set me out as a target.

10

They

my whole and this distortion has risen up to tears at me. He gnashes His teeth.

They

breach

after

He

gape at me with their mouths.

gather en masse against me.

into the hands

grabbed me

13 His bowmen

mercy and spilled my bile breach. He rushed at me as

without

by

of

guilty

11 God men.

12

the neck and shattered

He

cleaved open

out on the ground.

14 He broke

surrounded me.

a

conqueror; 15 I have

I have driven my homs into the dust. 16

sewed

my My face is red weeping and my eyes are covered with shadowy death, 17 though I have injustice on my hands and my prayer is pure.

sackcloth over with

no

as a witness

community.3

wiped out

the wicked to close in on me and casts me

my kidneys me

up

You have

malevolent anger

eyes against

cheeks

was at ease and

me.

9 His

me."

hones his

strike

worn me out!

skin.

The Book of Job 18 Let

7

the earth cover over my blood or

find a place for my outcry. 19 my witness must be in heaven, The one who can testify for me must be on high. 20 Oh my my friends, my eyes weep before God. 21 Will no one argue for a MAN (gebher) before God as a man ('adam) should do For

not

now

advocates,7

for

a

friend?8

22 For

a

few

years will pass

by,

then I shall go the way that I

and

shall not return.

Comments 1. These text. His

words are spoken directly to his friends in full awareness friends were, indeed, to have brought him compassion,

Job 2: 1 1

Now

Job's three friends had heard

when

him, they

come upon

Temanite, Bildad

the

came each

Shuhite,

with one another and planned

show

but the

him

...

of all the evils that

Zophar the Naamatite.

and

had

Eliphaz the

own place

They

conferred

to come together to console him and to

compassion.

compassion was to

Job 3:10

from his

of con

for it

have helped him

closed not the

doors

over the sight of

of

my

mother's

toil.

belly

but hid my

eyes

from toil. Job 3:20

Why

does He

give

light to those

whom toil

has consumed,

or

life to

the bitter of soul?

This is Job's

answer to

Job 15:1

Eliphaz's

Then Eliphaz the Temanite even answer such

blustery

answered and said:

thoughts and

fill his

"Should

own

belly

a wise man

with

the east

wind?"

"What Job

ails you that you answer me

so?"

As it seems, their illness has driven

His friends, Eliphaz and the others, are part the innocent suffer every day, and yet they do see They Job sees a world that cannot see itself. He

mad.

For Job, Eliphaz has become a man who raises himself up by bringing all men,

tempt

for the

The

it

surface

has

sight of a man

rendered

from the

cannot allow

including

of the surface world. not see that

has

see.

himself to be human.

himself down. His

him insensitive to innocent

surface who

they

condemned

con

suffering.

the surface so that

itself, has forced Job to testify against the world for the Job is lost, confused, and angry. He believed in a world that

seems to condemn

sake of the world.

did

not

broken.

believe in itself

and that

had

attacked

him for

doing

so.

Job has been

8

Interpretation 2. This is

powers

a wonderful comment on

they do

not

over the speaker

Job

power

hands,

you who

have

who

longer have their 3. Indicative

way in

which

to take away

had the

of

Eliphaz knows

pain.

words to pick

bolster the knees that

and

no

a power

more

was you who always encouraged and strengthened so

It

but for those

have

and what

than most

himself is true:

says of

Job 4:3-4

They

they have,

over the one spoken to and

both

himself.

Words have the that what

have.

what powers

words,

peered

up

were about to

many frail

those that were stumbling

bend.

behind the curtain, the

is gone,

magic

and words

power.

his

madness throughout

he constantly

this

switches persons

chapter

is

the jagged and abrupt

from third to

the third, and when he uses the second person, it is not

is addressing his friends or God. God, his effects, him have, come all of a jumble into Job's mind.

second and

back to

always clear whether

and the effect

that

he

belief in

in any human court or a divine court Job knows that, but has been worn out. working There is that infinite wheel of suffering that brings feelings of guilt and feelings of guilt that bring suffering. In defending himself against a world of charges, 4. His defense

would stand

Job feels himself charges.

being

Once he is

5. Or

him

intelligible to

under rules

well

man.

into the

sucked more and more

captured

by

world

that makes those

that world, his defense begins to melt. See note to Job hones its eyes against me?"

"my

narrow constraint

6:23. This ambiguity is

key

to understanding the

kind

of madness one sees

in Job

feels an angry world pressing himself begins to feel small, petty,

throughout the remainder of the chapter. Job

down

upon

him, constricting his

view

till he

guilty of believing that his world could be other. 6. What a telling way of expressing the way in sharpen itself by its own act of cutting. and

7. Some translate

See

note

"My friends

scorn me:

my

which an

angry

eye can

eye pours out tears to

God."

to 33:22.

8. Job's

anger

is

gone

now, but not his madness. Rejected

now

by both

earth

heaven, but still convinced of his own innocence, he makes an appeal to both, expecting help from neither. Somewhere God must have the evidence, and and

man, as a solid

friend trusting in both Job

and

in

himself,

must

find it

out.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

1

for

"My

spirit

me now.

discontent.

2

has been destroyed

Mocking

and

my days

snuffed out.

men are always about me and

my

The

eye

grave

lives

is ready

under their

9

The Book of Job

3. Put up now, go my surety. Who will be the one to take my hand on it?1 4 So, You have protected their hearts from insight, and that is why even You no longer have any respect for 5 Why, he would even turn in a friend to get them.2

his cut, but the eyes of his children will 6 He has made a folk adage of me, and I've become comprehend.3

blind from indignation

eyes are

The

by

upright are appalled

form

but

appears to me

of

Old. 7

My

as shadows.

8

that. The pure raise up against such impiety. 9 The

hold tight to their

righteous

and all

Tophet4

as

ways and the

man

hands

of clean

adds

to his

strength.5

10 Let them 11 heart

My days

all pass

have 12

possess.

by

passed

They

in

on

by.

review.

My

day

you.6

no wise man

among

have been snapped, all that my it is night and in the face of

ambitions

it is

claim

No, I find when

darkness they say that light is 13 If I must take the Pit to be my home, and spread out my couch in darkness; 14 call out to the muck "Thou art my near.7

Father'

and call out

'Mother'

'Sister'

and

to the maggots, 15

hope? Oh my hopes, who will ever take note of them? 16 down into the Pit and together they lie in the dust."8

where

They

then is my

have

all sunk

Comments 1. Chapter 17 is

a continuation of the scene which

the last chapter. Job

had

asked

for

After all, he argued, he and his and will "not

a

man,

one of

strange ways of

began

around verse

18

of

his friends, to be his

advocate.

by

in "a few

thinking

will pass

return."

years"

.

.

.

Their answer,

and

If nothing remains, then nothing will remain. Job's initial reaction to it, become clear from verses 1 and 2.

Then, in verse 3, we are to imagine Job, a smile slowly brighten his face, going over to each in turn with an outstretched hand. up But in verse 4 it becomes clear that no one had moved a muscle or returned

He is

rejected.

ing his

smile.

Then Job

must

have

raised a

half-angry, half-knowing

eye toward

heaven. 2. God, according to Job, has misjudged men. The wisdom that He has down to them via the Fathers has so closed them off from the surface

passed

that even the wisdom He gave them has become useless.

3. taknlennah: The Revised Standard, "The

Greenberg, "The foundation the

eyes of

"all"

or of

notion of

or

all,"

but

"to be

as

either

interpretation is

reference

is to

children will

As

a verb

it

taken

it in

the

root

klh has

fail": as

can mean either

expression

its "to

"Papa is

former sense, they in the latter,

reasonable.

quite unclear at

one of

"a

whole."

in the Pennsylvania Dutch

i.e., Papa is dead. We have

4. The text is

his The

children will pine

complete" all,"

be

eyes of

away."

his

this point,

but if the translation is correct, the

the valleys below the walls of Jerusalem.

10

Interpretation Jer. 7:31-32

And they have built the high

place of

Topheth,

which

is in the

daughters valley of the son of Hinnom, into come it did nor in the fire; which I did not command, my mind. Therefore, behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when to burn their

it

will no more

Hinnom, but

be

Topheth,

the valley of

because there is 2Kings 23:10

called

valley

Slaughter: for they

their

of the son of

will

in Topheth,

bury

no room elsewhere.

And he defiled Topheth,

Hinnom,

or the

sons and

that no one

might

is in the valley of the sons of burn his son or his daughter as an which

offering to Molech. and

it did, indeed become

Isa. 19:12-13

Thus

a

kind

will

byword:

of

I do to this place,

says the

Lord,

and to

its inhabitants,

city like Topheth. The houses of Jerusalem and the the kings of Judah all the houses upon whose roofs

this

making houses of

incense has been burned offerings

have been

the place of

5. Job rest of

its

must

to all the

host

of

heaven,

poured out to other gods

and

shall

drink

be defiled like

Topheth.

have been thinking: "The others, Eliphaz and Zophar and the they all live in what seems to them to be a single world. It has

mankind,

ways and

its forms.

They

share an outward cast of

sanity

which

they

main

to it tightly; but for me, poor man, the molds are cracked and form begins to melt inner sanity cannot 6. Job, in a crazed vision, sees himself as a general, with the whole world marching past him on review in uniform. tain

by holding

hold."

when outward

7. This is how they do it. Their undergoes a constant

Night is

called

are

day. Innocent is

called

molds are never cracked

transmutation

and

called

deformation

guilty, and

till it

because the

fits the

surface

mold exactly.

pains which should

be faced

temporary.

eternally 8. As in Gresham's Law, false hopes drive out the true. We do not know yet exactiy what Job's hopes for himself and perhaps for the whole of mankind We only know that they are incompatible with the notion that man is a The best one can do for now is to say that the notion of man as a maggot seems to be equivalent to the total denial of the ultimate relevance of were.

maggot.

the surface as it appears to man.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

1 Then Bildad these traps

in

considered

beasts

2 "How long will you continue to set to understand and then we will speak. 3 are we

answered and said:

speech?

Try

and made unclean

in

Why

your eyes?

4 You,

you who

tear yourself

11

The Book of Job in anger, Is the

apart

from its

5 The light around

A

be

the wicked

of

his fire. 6 Light his

stride of own

earth to

feet

lead him into

snare will grab

him

by

disaster is headed

first bom

a

net,

Brimstone is

his branches

and

no

heir

or

scion,

12 His

13 His

from

he

have

and

trip him up, 8 for his himself right into the trap. 9

path.

him. 10 His

vigor will

skin will

be

appointed

11 Terror falls

will

torn

be

upon

know

him

starvation:

away; death's

eaten

from his

tent of safety Terror. 15 It takes up lodging in his tent unin over his hut. 16 His roots will be dried up from

parched

and

from light into darkness

at odds.

14 He

fail him. 7 The

candle will

tighten about

his

ribs.

no glow

of

scattered

be lost from the land

will walk

a web

be

plans will

snare on

members.

King

and marched off to the

beneath,

for his

his

he

and

heel,

the

straight

will consume

smothered and there will

be hobbled. His

lies hidden in the ground, a from everywhere sending his feet

be

dislodged

your sake? or the rock

turn dark in his tent. His

will

perversion will

will

be

will

rope

vited.

for

abandoned

place?1

will

above.

17 All

driven from this fruitful left in

not a shred

recollection of

18 He

no name abroad. orb.

his haunts. 20

all

will

him

19 For him there

They

will

be thrust will

of the west are

by his days, and they of the east are seized by confusion. 21 These are God."2 indeed the dwellings of the unjust for this is the place that knew not

horrified

Comments 1. We

remember

compassion

8:1 Iff.). Here with

that

was

neither a

Bildad

reed

verses should

beast

who showed a certain

kind

he ultimately had to

which

the same patience and understanding

again we see

Job. These four

least, is

it

for the tender

be

sufficient

We

nor unclean.

must

of genuine

condemn

(cf.

in his dealings

Bildad,

to assure us that

at

take his implicit advice to Job

with great seriousness.

Let

the anger? Can he achieve

Bildad rock

is something to what Job is saying. Is it worth all anything beyond tearing himself apart? What does "Is the earth to be abandoned for your sake? or the

us suppose that there

mean when

he

says

dislodged from its

Did he mean, "Job,

place?"

you are

There

too quick

asking for. If God

many things he could have meant. and have not sufficiently considered

are so

suddenly to change the whole world just deserts, how many others of that would have to suffer unreservedly because Or he may have had in mind the time back in 14:18 when Job had said, "A the

you are

thing

to make

it

conform

were

exactly to your admittedly

change?"

mountain

the

was

the

has fallen

moment when

surface again as

does

and crumbled

not come

in

a

Job

if for

woke

the

flash. A

away, a

rock

dislodged from its

from his false dream

place."

That

confronted

and

suddenly first time. Perhaps Bildad is saying that

sudden confrontation with

turn out to be as deceptive as any old

wives'

wisdom

the surface could itself

tale. Horrors

loom

out

in

dispro-

12

Interpretation

portion; goods may be taken for granted

time, may indeed be

required

for

Time,

and overlooked.

generations of

back to

a tradition to pull our perceptions

reality.

Or his question, "Is the earth to be abandoned for your sake? or the rock thoughts. If dislodged from its may have been a response to Job's last so, what are we to think of all his hopes? Suppose that he and all men were free to work toward them on their own. Could they really pull it off? Would things place?"

really be better? In the remainder his reasons for believing that it is 2. It is "God"

final but

even

of

his

will

we

as

likely.

not

not appear as an actor.

have lines like "The light

indicative

glow around

his

fire"

in

a

be hobbled. His net,

and

he

be

of the wicked will

which no

direct

plans will

will walk right

trip him up for his into the

trap."

these that will naturally

lead them to their

that knows not

place

own

destruction,

own

Isn't it

into

that Job's high hopes for man will translate themselves

is in "a

smothered and

is given; or even lines like "The stride

cause

of the tenor of the passage as a whole are

perversion will

lead him into

likely

to articulate

our

there, God does

there will be no more

will go on

not occur

word of

Instead,

his speech, Bildad

understanding of the argument to note that the word in Bildad's speech until the very end. It is, in fact, the the last verse, and therein lies the whole of its rhetorical value;

critical

does

for

of

feet

more

"plans"

such

given man as

he

God?"

CHAPTER NINETEEN

1 Then Job

answered and said:

2 "How

long

will you

torment my spirit and

3 How many times you have humiliated harsh towards me? 4 Even if I have

crush me with words? no shame

lodge

to be so

within

me, 5

but, if

encircled me with

I cry out, but there is cannot pass

through.3

His

has

perverted

scream

you

feel

to

prove

my

me.2

'Violence'

but I get judgment. 8 He has barred the

net.

no place of

He has

I

who

Do

that error must

you must place yourselves above me

disgrace, 6 know that it is God Himself 7 He has

me!

erred,1

no answer. road and

I

my path with darkness, 9 stripped all head.4 glory from me, and removed the crown from my 10 He tears at me from all sides round and so I retreat. He uproots my hopes like a tree. 11 His anger bums against me, and He accounts me as one of his foes. 12 Together, His troops advance. They erect a toward me and covered

highway

encamp round about my tent. 13 He made my brothers withdraw from me, and of my friends He has made strangers. 14 Those who were close to me have left; and those who knew me have all forgotten. 15 Those who lived in my house and the women who served

me account me an alien and

I

called

to my

servant,5

to them I

but he

gave no

have become answer,

no more

than

and now must

a stranger.

16

I curry to him for

The Book of Job favor. 17

My breath

is

children

against me.

19 All those

have turned

against me.

the

skin of

21 Be

teeth6

gentle with

22

struck me.

My

bones

to me abhor

stick to

my

me and those

skin and

I loved

to my flesh.

Only

hold.7

to

friends, be gentle, for the hand of God has like God, taking satisfaction out of my

me, you, my

do

Why

who were closest

20

ceases

my

my wife, and to the sons of my own belly I have contempt for me. When I rise, they speak

repulsive to

loathsome. 18 Even

am

13

you pursue me

flesh? 23 Who will find a place that my words may be written down? Who will see it that they are inscribed in the Book.8 24 With stylus of iron and with lead incised in The Rock forever?9 25 Yet I know lives and that my to

vindicator10

one

day

he

will stand

26 Even

after

I behold

shall

my

God."

8 You have

has been

27 It is I

'How

the dust.

upon

stranger,12

those of a

and not

up

skin

stripped

away,

yet

myself who shall see.

from

My

out of

raw

my

own eyes must

flesh

behold,

the vitals within my bosom are finished.

although

him?'

The root of the matter, they persecuting say, lies within me. 29 But, stand in terror of the sword, for fury is a perversion judgment."13 meet for the sword, that you may know that there is said

are we

Comments 1. The word used implies a wrong done inadvertently. 2. In the last chapter, Bildad had said, "The stride of his

hobbled":

and

sion meet

for the

and

later in this chapter, Job

will admit

be

perversion will

that "indignation is a perver

sword."

Job is angry because he knows that Bildad is right, right because he knows of that anger. Behind

he knows that Bildad is

Bildad is the ever,

sober notion

men who are not

perversion

3. The related

God has

anger

are closed and

and yet

head,

other.

my path from my

covered

Job, how error

perverting

into

oneself

living

in two

There is only

have been

a

is closely in the one

worlds

that are open and beckon enough room

for

a scream.

has its rightful claim,

for judgment.

with

head."

have been bom into

all of which

By

turns into anger. Each world

neutral ground

removed the crown seem to

finding

freedom. Roads

forbidden in the

there is no

help being

angry.

perverted man.

cannot move

4. "He has

cannot

that arises out of

to the problem of

Motion that

that angry men cannot be free men. For

free

darkness, stripped all glory from me, and To Job, he, and perhaps all men, almost

bright

stripped

and glorious

path,

from him. Man

with a crown on

was

bom into

his

a single

world, a bright and open surface in which the paths were open and action was possible

Now

his first

in

spite of all

we can

the random harshness of

begin to

speech when

disease

and

famine.

get a somewhat clearer picture of what

he said,

"May

the

day

of

my birth

rest

Job

meant

in oblivion,

in

and

14

Interpretation

with

it

of

.

.

but let darkness

.

my mother's womb but hid my It was not an ugly day. Job had

from

eyes

the gates

rise

gave

be dashed. teeth."

by

escaped

the skin of my

rect, but I am not sure that the Hebrew

has

hard

and

his skin,

teeth are

7. Job is

loved have other, and

gone

was at open

away.

Even the breath that

least

before

surface, the

of the

no

one man who

his

did in fact

not

he

has become

replaced the

The

world of

distinction the surface

seen will always

will

word

be

no place

is from the

from

to be aware of the fact that there that place. The Book of Job lies

be there to be

Job has

for

will see

to

sees as

Job

not

It is further implied that

having

experienced.

read the

The

book,

are

"other"

will change all

that radically.

anger.

the word translated

"redeem"

appears to come

to write

in

in 3:5. answer

may be written down? inscribed in the Book. With stylus of iron and words

forever?"

vindicator the one who will come

enough

nev

mere awareness

lives"

it that they

his

seen.

seen after

same root as

lead incised in the Rock

deeply

the surface farther

something to be set down for all time, although he that they will ever be read. It is implied, however, that

statement

1 1. We

but

pushed

"I know that my vindicator "Who will find a place that to his question, my

stand

the self

him.

provide

will not experience what

For him there

Job

and those whom

words as

no assurance

Job has

10. The

all

disease, has

that there once was another who was

with

in the

us.

ertheless, he

Who

other point

longer believes in Job, partly because he it.

it is hard

anyone should ever see what

Job's

escapes

of the ages.

wisdom

own skin pulls tighter round

sees

have

has

self and other

and the

one reads this verse,

whatever

his

that surface, but mainly because he was the one who believed in

his

9. Job

any

himself. Disease has drawn closer,

surface

The harshness 8. As

outside than at

within

longer believes in itself,

a part of

and

from the

farther

The distinction between

him,

and

out.

makes others of others.

between the which no

and comfortably,

that

means

has become

fit tight, have lost their grip,

which should

now more estranged

He is left

poem.

are cor

the English expres

James. I believe he

King fit loosely

which should

tight, his gums, beginning to fall

Literally they

words mean what

to mean since the days of

come

while most of

if

closed not

or

6. Others: "I have

can

for it

"slave"

5.

is

.

.

.

toil."

it because, in its beauties, it

cursed

to all those hopes which were soon to

sion

it

and gloom salvage

down his

must examine more

tale

for

along

one

day

and under

others to read. "skin"

has been playing and closely the role that will continue to play throughout the book as a whole. Whether it has anything to do with the boils or not we do know, but it is clear that the seat of the disease is his

skin:

The Book of Job Job 7:5

My skin has become hard and begins to ooze. My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh. Only

Job 19:20

the skin of

15

my

teeth ceases to hold.

Job 19:26

Even

flesh Job 30:30

My

skin turned

In his dream

black

and

is

stripped

now

away,

yet

from

off me;

peeling

out of

my

my bones

are

raw

the heat.

by

scorched

God

my skin has been I behold God.

after

shall

it

of the past

things for

was one of the

which

he

remembered

fondly.

most

Job 10:1 1

With

skin and

flesh You

clothed me and

knit

me together with

bones

and sinews.

It

Bildad's

was also

Job 18:13

His

prime example.

be

skin will

away; death's first born will consume his

eaten

members.

We have trable

by

yet

Leviathan, but

to meet the

as we can

see, he has

skin

impene

man.

Job 41:31

Can

fill his hide (skin)

you

with

harpoons,

or

his head

with

fishing

spears?

Skin is that thin film

of protection

even the most gentle and pleasant

Job

at this

world, Job

"came cused

point, every exposed

out of

Zophar

his of

other

himself,

When it is gone,

a source of

pain,

and

for

In opening himself up to the surface left himself even more naked than when he

other.

and

belly"

mother's

self and other.

become

can

and showed that courage which

he had

ac

lacking.

The Satan had

said

skin!"

"skin beneath

skin of self-interest under

the Satan will have lost

behind his

is

between

breeze

his

According

skin of openness.

his bet because Job

will

to

him, Job had

a

thick

If Job does live up to this verse, have proved that he has no skin

skin.

12. For the first time in the book

we see an

importance that

"seeing"

and

especially "seeing for himself is beginning to have for Job. For the moment, at least, he has started to feel that all of the anger and confusion might stem from the fact that he

heard the

has

seen

world of wisdom with

13. It surely looks

ing

from the

either

the surface with his own eyes, whereas he has

quite

mouth of

the

hearing

impossible to say

Job

been transposed from

at this time.

of

what

Many

somewhere else

his

only

ears.

this verse could mean com

people think that the verse

in the poem,

or

has

has been terribly

Interpretation

16

All this

garbled.

claim that

his

present commentator would not

The

and more are possible.

to have demonstrated the

arguments are so cogent as

believes that he has the Book

the text. Anyone who

of

Job,

integrity

translation or

of

text,

help is sadly mistaken. In despair, I thought it best to follow the received text as assiduously as I could in hopes of traveling vaguely in the direction intended by the author divine

short of

false

than to second guess the text with a

rather

sense of security.

CHAPTER TWENTY

1 Then Zophar the Naamatite have

would

me

the admonition of

have

for

all

answer;

own

my

feeling

a

said, 2 "It is my disquietude that

answered and

shame;

that

lies

me, 3 for I

within

a spirit out of

my

own

hear

seem to

understanding

would

reply.1

me

4 Do

know this, that from timeless time,

you

since man

('adam)

was set

the guilty has been quick, and the delight of the 6 Though his loftiness rise to the heavens, his head reaching to the clouds, 7 like his own dung he will be lost in eternity. Even 8 He flies off as a dream and no one those who see him will ask 'Where is earth, 5 the

upon the

defiled but

joy

of

moment.2

of a

he?'

can

find him. He

him have

given

10 His

o'er;

full

are

they

of

a vision of

no even

find favor

sons

His bones

like

recedes

night.

vigor, yet

they lie

eyes that observed

him in his

hands

return

place.3

his

wealth.4

him in the dust. 12 Though

with

11

evil

his tongue, 13 cherish it, never bring abandon it, but retain it on his palate, 14 the bread in his bowels will become the gall of an asp within him. 15 He devours wealth only to vomit it back, for sweetness to

God has

seized

the tongue of a

17 He

full

house, poor.

of

out of

20 Since he knew

shall endure.

The hand send out

burning

bowels. 24 He made of

will

be

all

the remnant left in

his

upon

flee the

will

his

will

needs are

bring

no

of

honey

and

Oh, he

butter.6

him

through

26 The

consumed9

tent.

and rain

joy. 19 He may

steal a

will

about to

down

feel hard

shall merit

pressed.7

fill his belly, God will him even to his very

upon

iron only to be overturned by a bow body it goes, lightning swift into the

his

whole of

by

18

will receive

crushed and abandoned the

fulfilled he

him. 23 As he is

machine of

and

him.8

be

brooks

from his belly, nothing dear to him survivor to enjoy it and thus nothing of his

no

brass. 25 Drawn,

his treasures. He

or

it to flourish for he has

anger upon

gall, and terror strikes

the poison of asps and

no peace

22 Though

of toil will

His

be

will

will suck

shall return and never consume.

cannot cause

escape; 21 there

rivers,

his labors but it

compensation of

but he

his belly. 16 He

slay the streams, the

his labors he

under

him.5

viper will

shall not see

The fruit the

it from

and

he hide it

9 The

note of

the poor and their

with

his lips

the

longer take

darkness has been stored up to be fire and all shall go ill with

an unblown

27 The heavens

will unveil

his

perversion,10

and the

The Book of Job earth shall

rise up

against

trickled away on the

('adam);

man

day

him. 28 The harvest His

of

will

17

be unveiled,

portion of the wicked

God."12

by

the

word

makes no attempt to refute

Job

or even

an

lands"

29 Such is the

wrath.

inheritance left him

his

of

-

Comments 1

Zophar

.

Instead, he gently suggests an alternative to found within himself. It's more like

"seeing

"hearing"

not

hearing

the

might call

It does

deeply

it

the others spoke of

kind

a

not arise

internal

of

for

"hearing

from the

hearing

the

disagree

for

This

blame him.

or

he has

oneself which "seeing."

it is like

fathers. One

the

wisdom of

Yet it is

oneself."

surface of an external world,

sense of shame that

nition and understanding.

than

to

but

comes

from

breaks down the distinction between

new

reshapes and gives

understanding

a

admo

meaning

to the surface.

2. The

superficial world

itself. Although it takes own

future. As

does

not bring along with it an understanding of in time, it can reveal neither its own past or its from Zophar's first speech, the daily events which

place

we remember

take place on the simple plane of the surface world are, in

interconnections

that their

are well

beyond the

realm of

fact,

so complicated

human ken.

searching out a deeper understanding of wickedness and of joy in themselves, do we come to realize that they cannot live together for long.

Only by

3. Chances

heaven. He he

as a

be

breathe

and

bolt

part of

connection with

himself. Even

will strike at

to take up space,

any man's world. They human being. As he loses connection

ceases to

him

lightning

are good that no

continues to

no

but,

him from

longer treat him

with

out of

he may be,

great as

or recognize

others, he loses

all sense of

world, in order to exist, must be recog

a surface

nized as such.

4. If

live

whatever

knowing

that all will be as

5. "His bones in his bowels world

is

not

for

he has done is

are

will

merely

if he had

of vigor yet

become the

someone. a

full

inevitably

to

not

they lie

must also

be

receiving it. Job's allegedly has turned into the gall of an asp.

6. Zophar,

of

course,

means

that

he

must

man can

"see for himself,

cally depends upon that brooks of honey and

with

his

have

all

must

...

the bread

be

world must well.

be

must

The

a

world

by

received

a

has been ill-digested

right past them without ever

listening"

says

that what Job or

eyes"

this surface world

own

self and upon those eyes.

butter"

The

be digested

To be, it

look

noticing them or their beauty. The "world of any

him in the dust

within

surface world

will

his own, he

been. with

a received.

soul capable of and

by

undone

him."

gall of an

asp For bread to be bread, it

given, it

be

faded

out of

"The streams, the

his

vision so

radi

rivers,

and

that he scarcely

18

Interpretation

sees them and will never remember

he is

world as

Zophar's 18

and

7. This

he

what all

have been

could

live in

his

hear,

to see, or to

8. A

someone

itself. The

in anger, but

of

his

words of verses

16

little

no one while

in

justice for Zophar. Job may be

no one

of, and our reactions

voices of others

anger

in

right

actually lives in such a world. We to that world. His inner voice tells will not allow

voices

greedy, angry

them

to enjoy the world around them.

or

everything in it wears a mask of terror. Job does his world is full of horrors, because he is full of anger.

joy

world without

listen for beauty;

not

by

world, but

surface

our graspings

him that the inner

said

be the foundation

seems to

a part of

are as

the things he points out in verse 17.

noticed

says of

they

the world of other men.

a part of

speech reveals and even exemplifies

have

would

them. In short,

and

"eaten"

9.

10. In

itself in

way, Job is right. Perversion is

a

a surface world.

heavens do

We

cannot see

not the sort of

it

feel its

or

thing

which reveals

If the

effects upon us.

it bare for Job, the rising of the earth will appear as un unblown fire. Job's anger has its roots in his view of the world.

lay

not

caused as an

"house"

11.

12. Loneliness

and

fear

ultimately drive him to lay bare his perversion,

will

on

the surface "The heavens

up

against

will

such actions that even and the earth shall

rise

him."

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

1 Then Job

you

answered and said:

compassion.1

your

may

mock.

spirit not worn

3 Bear

4 Is my itself

2 "Listen

with me while

5 Turn to

6 When I remember, I

your mouth.

me and

am

filled

let

be

that

I have spoken, then (adamfl If it were, why has my

complaint against man

out?2

to my words, and

well

I speak,

and after

be

appalled.

Clap

your

hand to

terror and a palsy grips my

with

flesh. 7

Why do the wicked live on, ancient, yet heroic in power, their seed firmly 8 their progeny spread out before their eyes? 9 Their by their side,3

established

homes

are at

peace,

Their bull breeds miscarry.

11

They

strike4

up

13

with

They

without

and

is

fear, for

not rejected.

set their

babes free

tumbrel and with

spend their

days in

lute

the stave of

His as

cow

God is

drops her

calf with never a

sheep; their children dance. 12

and rejoice

good cheer and

to the strains

in

peace

10

not upon them.

of a

They

pipe.5

they descend into

the

Pit. 14

say to God: 'Turn away from us. We have no desire to know your 15 'What is this Almighty that we should serve him? How shall we if we do come to terms with 16 Is not good fortune in the palm of

They

ways.'

profit

their

hand?6

Him?'

Though

such counsel of the wicked

is beyond me, 17 how

often

is

The Book of Job it that the how

lamp

of

the wicked is put out, or that calamities come

does He

often

allot them pain

the wind, or as chaff that the storm

in His has

18 Are they

anger?

made off

19

-

them, or before

upon

as straw

with?7

19 God,

you say, will treasure up all his wickedness to lay upon his sons? let Him complete the bargain now and then shall he learn. 20 Let his Why then, fury:8 eyes see his own ruin and let him drink of the Almighty's cruet of 21 for what

does he

months

for his house

care

has been

cut

after

he has gone,

and the number of

his

off.9

22 Would he teach understanding high?

even to that

God

who can

judge those

who

are on

23 One dies in the (height of) his simplicity wholly at ease and secure. 24 His skin is sleek; the marrow of his bones still moist. 25 Another dies in the bitterness

of

in the dust,

his soul,

never

having

and the worms cover

eaten of

goodness, 26

yet together

they lie

them over.

27 Oh, I know what you are thinking, the machination you have devised against me. 28 For you say, 'Where is the house of this prince? where is this tent, this

by, but

no sign

day

the

on

dwelling of

place of the evil

have

you ever recognized

34 How, then full of

him

will

be

passer

every is

can make

spared

him face his

who will

brought to the grave, they will set a vigil over Everyone10 wadi will fall sweetly upon him. will those who precede

of

wicked man

repay him? 32 When he is his tomb. 33 The clods of the

done now,

are

30 because the

from the frenzy. 31 Who

rescued

calamity,

Well, his deeds

ways?

29 You have inquired

ones?'

march

along

after

him,

and

number."

without

can you offer me such

empty

compassion when your answers

treachery?"

remain

Comments 1. Job begins by appealing to Zophar's sense of hearing. 2. For Job, Zophar is right. A man cannot live on hatred for his fellow man. His spirit would wear itself out. But Job can see beauty in man and in the world.

We know that; he

against all that surface to make

beauty it fit

saw

it

a plan rather than

believing

loves

himself to be

man although

3. The

wicked

a

not

disappear

contrary, they become the main poets. Start with Romulus and nations commit

is

was

bom. His

unpleasant

man

by

complaint

to meet that world as

not the one who

is

contorting the

is angry

it is,

with man

maggot; the true misanthropist is the one who

he believes that

do

that

allowing

standing on his own two feet. In Job's mind, the tme misanthropist is

for

he

day

on the

which obscures all

man or

is in fact

subject of go on

a maggot.

fade from the

minds of men.

On the

the historian and are glorified

from there. When

horrible crimes, it is the deed

and not

the

founders

the man that is

by

the

of great

forgotten.

20

as

Interpretation 4.

"raise"

5.

"Why

do the

wicked

are, have not

they

fully

live

perceptive

?"

For Job, Zophar's remarks, faced the question because he has not fully faced the on.

.

his understanding of a part has obscured the whole. To that it. extent, he has contorted the surface in order to allow himself to look at In the 6. Greenberg translates: "Their happiness is not their own

world.

The depth

of

doing."

Book

Job it is

of

negatively

often

difficult to distinguish

worded rhetorical question

in English, implies

as

which,

statement

a negative

a

from

a

strongly

For example, "Is that not strongly implies that it of the Book of Job often leaves it up to the reader to so?"

worded positive answer.

is

so.

But the

author

distinguish between "Is throughout the

problem

as

best

as

I do.

as

he

7. What

can.

that not

"That is

so?"

and

whole of

book,

the

The Revised Standard in the last

was said

so!"

and each

King

and

It is

not

James have

to verses

note also applies

a

very

common

translator must deal with it the same

about

16-19,

and

transla

tions differ greatly.

8. I have taken means

hearing

umehamat as

anger,"

"from

the word

umehemet

Job 20:26

be

whole of

by

left in his

the earth shall rise

Zophar's fires is both not seem

notion that

Zophar had

If

first

said

stored

fire

The heavens

against

divine justice

unwise and unjust.

Fundamentally it help also

one cannot

flask."

an unblown

tent.

up

on words. "drink"

a

darkness has been

consumed

remnant

play

culmination of the

answer to what

The will

of

the word

with

"and from

9. Verses 19 through 21, the intended to be Job's

kind

a

but together

part of

to

Job's speech,

him in his last

are

speech.

up to be his treasures. He ill with the

and all shall go will

lay

bare his perversion,

and

him.

works

punishment

in

unseen ways and

is

not related to the

to be related to the crime, and then no matter

how

by

unblown

crime, it

much our

will

demands

for justice may have been met, the one who is punished will have learned nothing. This roundabout justice is also unjust because too many innocent peo ple get hurt the way. It be enough for him to see his along may offspring "strike up with tumbrel and with lute and rejoice to the strains of a when pipe"

they

were children and under

his care, but when in later life they the pieces, he may neither know nor care. 10.

all man

him

For will

you

be

left to

pick

up

('adam)

11. Oh, I know me.

are

what you are

thinking,

say "Where is the house without

the machination you have

of

this prince?

...

and

devised

against

those who precede

number."

This, clearly is not an easy passage to understand. So far as I can understand thinking of a case in which everyone knows that somewhere in the

Job is

past

The Book of Job something horrible happened; but in

order

live

to

with the

they have

surface,

transformed the past that no one remembers who, or what, or when, and all returned to peace and

21 so

has

tranquility.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite of

act

to his

use

any

does it

justly

your ways

God

give the

become

FEAR that He has evil.

Are there

brothers You've

on a

answered and said:

as a prudent man can

any kind

Almighty 4 Do

simple?

bounds to

of pleasure?

Does He

a

flood

of waters

12 Is off

not

crushed.

sudden, 11

you of a

has

it is. 13 And

strolls round

time?3

'Leave who

or

darkness

Only

be!'

us

How

can

filled their houses

Him

15 Have

have trod, 16 off in a

Almighty

utmost star.

He

can see

kept to that

withheld favored1

see, and

See how far

nothing

as

He

primordial path

up before say to God it 18 when it was He

men who were snatched stream.

good?4

of

it

righteous see

not our

and

you

do any thing

kinds

with all

guilty is beyond me, 19 the

The

God know? Can He judge from

much can

obscure

heaven.'

the

have

you arms.

so that you cannot

look to the

Their foundation flows

derision, 20 saying 'Has

by

'How

14 'Clouds

which the men of wickedness

you

sent

mist?'

the circuit of

you are

over.2

covered you

so you say:

of your

away empty, and the arms of the 10 And for that you have been surrounded by

widow you

God high in the heavens?

behind that thick

their

have

you

profit when

the naked you've stripped away. 7

for the weary to drink, and bread from the hungry. 8 And so the land goes to the man of

snares, fear strikes

(gebher) be

6 You have impounded

your perversions?

given no water

occupy it, 9 but the fatherless have been

a man

friend? 3 When

to a

really think that it is because hauled you up for judgment? 5 Oh,

and whatever clothed

whim,

2 "Can

of use

you

rebuked you and

no

be

and

17 Those about

who

Though the

counsel of

rejoice; the innocent

enemy been destroyed,

the

show

their remains consumed

fire?'5

to6

21 Please, come close Him and be your way. 22 Receive guidance from His heart. 23 If far from

you will return

to the

at peace.

All

mouth and

Almighty

and

good things will come

keep

His saying in your you keep injustice

be rebuilt, if

tent, 24 take gold dust as sand and nuggets as rocks in a stream, 25 The Almighty will be your gold and most precious silver, 26 for then you shall

If

your

take delight in the

you supplicate to

vows. path.

28 Proclaim

Him, He

up unto God. 27 have fulfilled your

and raise your countenance

will

your words and

low

hear you, thus

it

and you will

shall

be. A light

will shine upon your

say '(it is their) audacity'! But He the humbled. 30 Even the guilty He will deliver; they will be deliv

29 When

will save

Almighty

men

ered through the

have

purity

sunk

of your

you will

hands."7

22

Interpretation Comments 1. "those

2. One what

countenance"

of raised

Eliphaz's

reads

know,

we

1,

ter

in Chapter 29, Job

and

....

for

no one else

It

hardly

perhaps around

Job

it blessed me;

and

had

an eye

seen and

it approved,

him. The blessings

of

those who had been lost came to me, and

help

a coat or a

heart

and often

I

I

if

we are

speech as

lying

him. We have

or

and

it

eyes

and

feet to the lame. I

no

way

judgment, to the blind,

would search out a case

speaking

of

for

a man whom

different

opened

really knowing. We

Job deserved everything that happened, tempest in a teapot.

A just

cause

was a

I did

not

prey from his teeth.

the same man. Perhaps one should

to a very

never

of

covered me.

of the unjust and wrest the

belonging had

out, and an orphan when there was

put on

break the jaw

seems as

was

sing.

hat. I became

would

discount God's

Chap

cried

to

know. I

torrent of

for it in

he

father to the needy, even

sudden

word

saved a poor man when

made the widow's

fit like

have God's

From

say.

says:

had heard

an ear

because I had I

to be quite undeserved. We

to

what

quite

to know of Job's character, this

or seem

accusations appears

knowing

speech without

can

his

strain of the story.

Or

eyes to the surface world

only say that if it is the case, book is nothing but a

and the whole

Another possibility is that Eliphaz was frightened by what Job said. The seeing a just man suffer may have so threatened to pull his world apart that he called the just man unjust and was at ease. thought of

Or stood.

he is

Eliphaz

perhaps

Let

us suppose

clothed a

hundred

always another

has

an

infinite

was

right in

a

hill

not climbed: and each

number of effects

human

require what no

which

that Job climbed a

naked men.

hill,

way in

Job could not have under hundred hills, and that in each valley The surface world is a finite world, and there a

in the infinite

finite

world.

act

in that finite

world

Justice, for Eliphaz, may

can perform.

3. What Job proposes, this surface world, is

not new.

It would, in fact

come

to nothing more than a return to pagan times when the sun was thought to god and the bringer of all warmth and but

sustenance,

felt then between the divine ble. or

4. Eliphaz

his

seems to

surface world

be trying to

implies that there

itself. The only thing in the concerns

itself,

and morality.

5. When things

go

be

Human life

badly

bad

for them,

relationship

be

a

was seen

was short and unsta

Job into seeing that the finitude no universal standard

visible world above man

shines on good and

are other causes.

needle can

no

of

justice beyond

is the sun, which,

as

far

as

alike.

however,

the

righteous know that there

The Book of Job 6. This is in

play on words. It is the same A man cannot "be of use to

a

verse one.

word

23 to"

that was translated "of use

God,"

but he

close"

"come

can

to

God. 7. These his

Eliphaz's last

words.

With them he

it is. Gold dust is

what

But if

are guilty.

dust,

gold

"rebuilt"

is

a man

is

a world

in

give

up

which each

nuggets, and the guilty

nuggets are

he may "proclaim his

then

Job to

pleads with

to the critical significance of the surface. It

claim

thing is

are

words and thus

it

be."

shall

Job's be

an

position either presupposes or soon

leads to the

notion of nature or

is to be in place, things must be what they are. There must intelligible necessity to the world. All that is involved in holding to the

natures.

surface.

If

argument

But that

would

limit

prayer.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

1 Then Job hand is I

from

heavy

might come

and

fill my

answer me!

He

answered and said: all

my

would

8 I

I be

in

me.

got me

3 Who 4 I

5 I

His

7 There

an

great power?

the south

He

out

case

my

before Him, He would

with what words

have to say to

No, surely He

of

with

6 Would

me.

His

would place

Him,

and there

His absence3; to the west, but I

was veiled and me and

I

could not see.

I have

come

but I

could

grasp Him. In 10 But He knows the way I have

to the north among His works,

taken. He has tried

lay

know

find Him! How

forever.2

from my judge to the east, but it was full

Him; 9

would

My

today.

again

tell me how to

can

would

bitter

upright man can reason

released

not sense

musings are

to understand what He would

want

strive against me with

confidence

"My

to his appointed place!

mouth with arguments.

I

2

groaning.'

could not

through as gold. 11

My foot held

tight

track; I kept to His ways and did not swerve. 12 Nor have I departed from the commandments of His lips. From within my breast I have treasured up to His

the words of His

Him? His

soul need

and there are

presence

mouth.4

13 But He is

only desire,

and

such who stand

many leads me into

but

one

purpose, who

it is done. 14 But

by

confusion.5

of

reflect

heart,6 The Almighty has led me into my destroyed by the darkness only because He had

softened

dissuade

He fills my

yet

Him. 15 It is because

When I

can

breast,

of all this that

His

I fear Him. 16 God has confusion.

concealed7

17 I

its thick

was

murk

not

from

me.

Comments 1. It is the morning of the next day. Job may have thought that after a good night's sleep his world might look different, that confusion and frustration

24

Interpretation

might

"My

just

"No,"

what

way

slender

it

could

3. "but it 4. Job's

full

was

of

Simply

innately

words of

of

of a rebel.

go

away;

bitter.

things are

in

no

If this

meaningless.

God's whole, how

within

but

He had

he held

him for the

and

see note

accepted

the human

source of

to

7:8.

the world

horizon,

Still there

as a treasure.

he it

as

was a

those things that he

He believed only that the

God's law in

and

means and the

having

because God

your

when you

and you

a

one

he

could not

To Job, the

action:

one

filled his

irony

implied in his words,

nest of

one must

"soft heart":

heart

was

heard his

have humbled before me, I

SOFT

and you

humbled

yourself

words against this place and

yourself

before me,

and

have

before

its inhabitants,

rent your clothes

have heard you, says the LORD. and shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel, you draw near this day to battle against your enemies: let not your heart BE SOFT; do not fear, and wept

Deu 20:3

or

justice is

If

just

in the world; the other was a only thing Such was the presence that led Job into confusion.

duality

2Chr 34:27

was

was

of value

Job

see what

tremble,

God's talk

be buffeted

not

he

says.

ainnenu

mouth"

all was veiled.

meaningless chaos.

the

that

around

and seemed the

6. To

did

him.

5. God's law in speech,

It

His

He looked

but

treasured most,

consider

Eliphaz

loved it. It filled his breast

and

of emptiness.

breast

as

absence."

His

spirit was not

see could see

be

can't

were real and

me?"

before

up in, defined by "the

kind

They

again

problems

are, then the just is not just and all becomes

grown

was

today."

the surface before me has no place

of

stand

bad dream. But the

Job, "Things

thought

they

bit

some

bitter

musings are

2.

had

like

vanish

by

His

of

or

be in dread

The "soft

way of speaking that left him open to

7. "covered

of

justice that first

actions.

another

this openness

also

them;

softened

Job's heart

and

laid it bare to

heart"

which came

about

Job's lack

to be out of a love

of an

"underskin."

It

of

was

so much pain.

over"

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

1 even

"Why has

not

those who

the

Almighty

know Him

established1

specific times

cannot recognize

His

for judgment*? Now

timing.2

2 Boundary off, flocks seized and peacefully sent to pasture. 3 Men lead away the donkeys of the fatherless. They have impounded the widow's ox 4a The destitute they turned from the roads. 9 They pluck the fatherless stones3

are carried

and take a pledge of gether.

5

They

the

are wild

poor.4

asses

4b The in the

poor of the

desert, going

from the breast land hide themselves to

off about

their

labors

of

The Book of Job

25

snatching up at dawn. They have only the wasteland to provide food for the young men. 6 They harvest in the fields and glean the vineyards of the guilty.

7 Naked, they pass the night without clothing, and shelter from the is none. 8 Drenched by torrents in the hills, they cling to a rock for

there

10 Without clothing, they

shelter.5

of

sheaves; 11 confined within walls,

in the

wine

wounded souls

its

within

in

yet

cry out;

were rebels against

they labor

Hungry, they bear the olive press; trampling down

naked.6

at the

thirst. 12 From out of the city come

they

vats,

go about

light

the

all that

God

its

who could neither recognize

saying, 'No eye will take note of

he

and

killing

groans; They8

13

nothing

14 In the light, a murderer arises night he turns thief. 15 An adulterous me'

mortal

unsavory.7

sees

course.

needy, and at

cold want

path nor remain

the poor and the

twilight, his face. 16 In the dark

eye watches at

conceals

he tunnels his way into houses which are sealed up tight against him by day, he9 since does not know the light. 17 For him morning and the Shadow of Death are all the same for he recognizes nothing but the terrors of the Shadow of

Death.

18

He10

is held in discredit

accursed upon

drought The

heat

and

face

over the entire

of

the waters and his lot is

the land. He cannot turn down the path to the steal water

forget him

womb will

from snow,

vineyards.

does the Pit to those

so

19 As 20

who sin.

the worms will find him sweet. Let him no

and

longer be remembered, that injustice may be broken as a tree. 21 He is mated to a barren woman who cannot give birth, and life shall not go well for his widow. 22 for

By

his might, he

a time

he has

the valiant

come to

exalted

he may

and though

seem

world

stand

tall

secure, and

for

ways."

mallow, withered away like heads

liar,

bend,

belief in life. 23 His

may 24 He may be rely upon it, but his eyes are upon its while, but then he is gone; brought low, and shriveled up like a

he may

a

can make

no steadfast

of grain.

25 If it be

not so

then prove me a

nothing."

and make

my

words worth

Comments 1. The

word

word which we

its meaning

I have translated here

have

considered

"established"

as

before but

not

in

how it is

only be

seen

Job 10:13

But You

treasured all these things

Job 14:13

Who

can

by looking

can move

at

You to hide

much

me

is

a rather complicated

depth. The full

range of

used:

up in Your heart. in the Pit and conceal

me till your

anger passes?

Job 15:20

The guilty man writhes in pain all his days and the lies hidden from those who can terrorize.

number of

his

years

Job 17:04

So, You have protected even

You

no

their

longer have any

hearts from insight, for them.

respect

and that

is why

26

Interpretation Job 20:26

The

Job 21:19

God, sons?

whole of you

Why

darkness has been

stored

treasure

his

will

say,

then, let Him

all

up

complete the

his up to be to

wickedness

bargain

now

treasures.

lay

his

upon

and then shall

he

learn. From

Job 23:12 Job 24:01

has

Why

my breast I have

within

not the

treasured

up

the

words of

established specific times

Almighty

His

mouth.

for judgment?

days"

2. Literally, "His Punishments that do appear as

clearly

not

appear as punishments, rewards

clearly

rewards; such things do no good, and it

that do not

is the innocent

who

suffer.

3. The

collapse of civilization,

according to Job, begins with the destruction first brought it into being. See note to

the most tangible sign of that act which

10.

verse

4. This is in fact 24:9

which I, along 5. 24:9 transposed to follow 24:4a.

with

others, have placed after 24:4a.

6. The going

poor of the

land hide themselves together. labors

off about their

of

snatching up

to provide food for the young men.

from the

and shelter

to a rock

The

for

picture

cold there

is

.

.

.

none.

at

Naked, they Drenched

that Job paints here is of a

the

torrents

desert,

wasteland

pass the night without

by

Without clothing, they

want of shelter.

almost animal-like

They are wild asses in They have only the

dawn.

clothing,

in the hills, they cling

go about naked.

world reverted

days. The times that Eliphaz had

back to primitive,

warned of are

already but they were none of Job's doing. The tme cause is God's justice, lacks the kind of order and timing that man can grasp.

around us, which

Why those

flocks

The leave

has

not the

Almighty

know Him

who

seized and

established specific

cannot recognize

peacefully

all-too-often-praised

sent

judgment? Now,

Boundary-stones

even

are carried off,

to pasture.

unintelligibility

imitative models,

men no

times for

His timing.

the

of

divine

models without which all

justice

order and

law is

quick to

disap

pear.

7. Whatever

remains of civilization

only

serves to

increase

the sense

of

radation.

8. It is

not

immediately

clear to whom

the word

"They"

refers

but

deg

by

his

the emphatic pronoun, I take it that the author has not switched subjects but is still speaking of the poor. If this is the correct use of

talking

about

Sin

out of the total

cussion,

see

at this

point, but

of

that

hopelessness described in

kind

verses

the note to verse 18.

9. The Hebrew text

of

switches to the plural

interpretation, Job is not depravity that can only arise

7 through 12. For further dis

for the

10. The translations vary greatly from this point ter.

Some translate it in the indicative

rest of the passage

on till

the end of the

while others put the whole

chao

passage in the

The Book of Job

hortatory; "May he be held in discredit he

May

The

not

turn down the path

Some

.

may his lot be

and

.

accursed

essential problem

even

speakers.

If

None

likely

more

Job

the speech to one

then into crime,

to suffer

about

those of the poor

of

far.

the other

however,

who were sucked

are

a

bit

the ones who are in fact

be overlooked, though it is far from certain. verse 25 does not sit very well with the

while

if taken to

the rest of the passage,

book

not sit well with the

refer

with no assurance of survival.

Yet

[God]

he relies, and keeps watch over his The Revised Standard translates: "Yet

to

all

as a whole.

translates: "Though he have the strength to seize bulls

Greenberg

.

in its favor is that

hortatory interpretation, does

.

would so

the passage begins to make

be saying that those ill effects from their actions. should not

.

impossible.

absurd or

would then

main argument

11.

is

be speaking

still

and

This interpretation

wrongdoers,

by attributing

of these solutions

him to

we take

more sense.

the problem

solve

into degradation

live

.

.

is that, taken in the indicative, the passage to be in direct contradiction to everything Job has been saying

seem

The

.

27

him the security

gives

May

he

on which

affairs."

of] the

his power;

by

mighty

them security and

I have:

they

"By his

are

they rise

supported;

up and

(pull/bend) [the life they despair of life. [He] gives

[God] when

his

prolongs

ways."

eyes are upon their

might, he can make the valiant

bend, and though he may he has no steadfast belief in life. His world may seem time] secure, [it/He gives him to security] and he may [come to] rely upon it, but his stand

tall [for a

its

eyes are upon

ways."

I have brackets to facilitate

around words that

do

not

actually

in the Hebrew text

appear

comparision.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

1 Then Bildad the Shuhite He

makes peace

does His light

whom

God

in His high not

answered and place.

shines.

Even the

3 Is there any

fall? 4 How

or what can cleanse anyone

nothing

said:1

bom

2 Dominion number

to

can a mortal think of woman?

stars are not pure

in His

these mortals, the maggots or the son of man

('adam)?

6 And

the

are

His.

himself just before

5 Look high sight.

fear

and

His troops? Upon

as

the moon,

now what of

worm.3

Comments 1. In half its of the

order

to

nearest

this, the shortest chapter of the book and less than must begin by looking at the plan of the central section

understand

rival,

we

book, including Chapters 3

through

25

as a whole.

28

Interpretation Chapter

Number

Job 3

of

Verses Zophar

Bildad

Eliphaz

26

4-5

48

6-7

51

8

22 56

9-10

20

11 75

12-14

35

15

38

16-17

18

21

29

19

20

29

21

34

22

30

23-24

42

25 As

we can

6 see, the

speeches each.

We

Bildad's last

speech and that

told whether

Bildad simply

2. Bildad

man, the

Zophar's final

We

or whether

remember

them well.

'Mother'

.

Job

what of these

Job had said, "If I must call out where then is my Job had always known that the claim "man is .

three sets of two

speech was never given.

talking, "And now

stopped

worm."

rounds of

that the dialogue was cut off in the middle of

ends with the words

or the son of

for three

original plan called

can also see

.

cut

him

We

are not

off.

mortals, the

maggots

Back in Chapter 17,

'Sister'

and

to the maggots,

hope?"

sation

because it denies the

it

reveals

the surface

is

the surface

other

being

within on

than to

Job's soul,

the one

hand,

caused and

would end conver

what, for Job, is the ultimate grounds As Job looks at the world, there is an equation maggot"

a

and the claim that the surface view

itself to human thought is

beginning

by

the

for

man.

contradictory

the fear of the

Lord

on

a surface

In

for man, it has

man as such must

no

spite of the constant strife

claims of

both

the surface world

the other to be "the

wisdom."

What is first for

Since

of no ultimate relevance.

precisely because it is

be the

maggot"

relevance of

of any human conversation. between the notion that "man is of things as

a

be the

beginning

of

beginning human

of

con

versation.

Conversation, then, that

he

must come to an end

is not a maggot.

If the

that he was not a maggot; enigmas and

forgotten.

contradictions,

precisely because Job has

surface world made perfect

but it does and yet

sense, he

not make perfect sense

for Job it

no proof

would

know

It is full

of

makes too much sense to

be

The Book of Job And now,

he

thing

what of

Bildad? He

the one to make the

was

was always

final break. We

to notice is that while he has

terms with

He

Job, Bildad has

the most understanding, but now,

totally

abandoned

him

attempt to come to

any

personally.

to have learned from Job that any attempt to find

seems

the question of the status of the surface world would

"Look high sight."

Bildad has taken the

got!"

Bildad has

be

moon, nothing shines. Even the

as the

seen

a compromise on

meaningless.

stars are not pure

shines"

"Nothing

other path.

Perhaps the first

ask ourselves why.

never condemned

"man is

and

Only

by himself,

man,

has

a

of

mag

position that no

sufficiently large horizon to think

the wider horizon supplied

foundation

in His

a

that the only viable counter-position to Job requires di

minishing the status of both man and the visible universe. To put it otherwise, Bildad began back in Chapter 8 with the single

29

human thought. He

by

as

Job thinks.

the wisdom of the ages will

do

as

the

the position as untenable. If a single

now sees

horizon is necessarily too confined, it can only mean that the human horizon as such, including that of the fathers, is defective. Man is a worm and man's

has only

a worm's-eye view.

Nonetheless, he has that

he

cannot prove

3. Thus two

old

not condemned

that he

friends

is right

Job. Why? Is it because he too knows

and

hence that Job is

wrong?

part.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

1 Then Job

are so powerless? strength!1

2 "Oh why

answered and said:

You

3 What kind

guidance to

would save me with a

of advice

passer

is it that

by. 4 To

must you

mighty arm, but

you give without

whom

have

every is it that has been coming out of 5 Ancient specters writhe beneath the waters

Whose

to

try

help

you

when you

have

not

the

wisdom, providing

you uttered all these words?

you?2

spirit

stands naked northern

before Him

lands

out over

and there

is

no cover

and

its

denizens.3

for Abaddon. 7 He

the chaos and suspends the earth above the

6 The Pit

stretches the nothingness.4

8 He binds up the waters in thickened murk, and yet the cloud is not burst by 9 He covers over the face of his throne, shrouding it in His clouds. 10 He cuts a boundary round the face of the waters reaching out to where the light them.5

finds its rebuke.

end

12

Rahaba. 13

fleeing

in darkness. 11 The His

By By

His

breath6

serpent writhe.

of what can reflect upon

pillars of

power the sea comes

the heavens turn

14 Yet these

are

be heard in Him. Oh the it!"7

heaven tremble,

to rest.

but

a

By

His

astounded

skill

He

fair. His hands have His way, only His mighty deeds,

touch

thunder of

of

by

struck

His

down

made the a whisper who can

30

Interpretation Comments 1. These

in his

Job's last

are

his

own

surface of things

way.

in the way in

find

not

We may

find

not

which

To ask,

off

into the

not

looked,

or

has

Asking

have else

Their

is

is

Our

his

deeper,

started

Is it that

we

critical

from

having seen?"

having

answer; there may only be

do

each time richer and

it?"

may be to be carried because we have

not see

looked because nothing has caught has caught the eyes or the ears of Eliphaz

voice

blurred

do, "Who

regress.

no

we not

this question

their own horizons. all those

because there may be time deeper and

infinite

cannot share

to look come from the

each

Job implies that it is

ceased.

of them.

strength

as children sometimes

realm of an

that something

2.

forth,

Job has faced it, they

help.

to the question, "Does seeing come

does the

or

an answer

the going back and richer.

an answer

look,

the strength to

to terms with them

are all well-meaning men; Job knows that, but each all want to help, but without having faced the

question and so are powerless to

We may

come

They They

own mind now.

must go

to his friends. He has

words

to our understanding

of

our eye? and

Or is it

the others?

why the dialogue

has been coming out homegrown because it did not arise from within

not

not their own spirit that

own voice,

for Job, is the only voice able to articulate first stirred up from within

and obscured thoughts which are

our own particular partial awareness of

the surface of things as it lies

within our

shaggy and ill-defined horizon. Other thoughts may have a bril focus, but when they have been poured from one mind into an

own particular

liant

central

they lose that particular periphery which once connected them to the land in which they were bom. For this reason there are no pathways which could other,

lead

back to his

one

own

horizons

thought for the teacher becomes

because he

cannot reach out

the center which he

3. Job is surface

and

beyond. Too often,

hardened dogma for the

to the horizon but

can repeat

alone now.

a

He is

in

dance,

or

to give

is

is continually forced to

a

living

precisely return

to

comfortable repetition.

finally free, free

to setde down and live in

world, but something, some ancient specter, older

to writhe, or

what

student

birth, for

by

his

far than he, begins

the Hebrew word means

all of

those

things, beneath it. 4. Job is than

more

question

is

existence at ance

beginning

just that,

to reflect upon the

a

surface,

whether this surface

its

most minimal

fact that his surface world is nothing in need of support from within. The thing is a veneer, only intended to support human

a

level,

or whether it is an integral external appear lies beneath it can reveal itself. At question is not the surface, but its relevance as a point in the

through which whatever

the absolute truth of search

for the truth.

beginning

For the present, Job has only focused on the surface, but he is beginning to and to wonder how his world can be more than "A northern land

feel disturbed,

stretched the out over

the chaos or an earth suspended above the nothingness

"

The Book of Job I

suspect that

Eliphaz

have looked

might

the human view of the surface has

been

at

things in just that

so contorted

nothing behind it can be recovered. A New Heaven revealed to him before he can proceed.

by

31

For him,

way.

man's perversion that

and a

New Earth

be

must

5. Not only does Job have no account of the existence of his world, he also it as a fragile realm, constantly under the threat of all those forces that could, and yet do not, destroy it. Job can neither account for nor doubt the sees

relevance of

6.

his

surface world.

"spirit"

or

7. The shaggy limit of Job's clarity ebbs its way into darkness and obscurity. shrouded from man the source of his own existence, and he cannot tell

God has

what gives

his little

world

its

solidity.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

1 And who

Job took up his proverb has thrown aside all my [claims for] again

2

"By the life of that God the Almighty has embittered

and said: justice,1

3 Yet so long as there is breath within me, or the spirit of God in my 4 never will my lips speak any injustice, or my tongue utter deceit. 5 nostrils, I'll not pretend that you have been just. Even till I perish, I shall not turn No, soul!2

my

my simplicity from

righteousness 7

My

enemies4

6 I

me.

and not

let

disavow my integrity, but cling tight to my For my heart has never felt pangs of

shall not

reproach.3

go.

he that rises up against me as the hope does the impious man have when he is cut off, when are as the wicked and

unjust

8 for

God

have drained away his soul. 9 Will God hear his cries when trouble his way, 10 or when he rejoices in the Almighty, even if he should call

what

will

comes upon

God

what

belongs to the

what

has happened. Oh, why

at all times?

13 Such is the lot

Almighty

set aside

11 But I

Almighty of

I

will

are you so

the guilty

for those

teach you what

man

is in

('adam) from God, 14 If his

of

God,

have

and

all seen

a

heritage from

the

become great, the be satisfied with bread. sons

be out for them, for his offspring will never 15 When death buries those that remain, even their widows

sword will

If he

you

useless?

utterly

who can terrorize.

hands

the

12 Well,

shall not conceal.

shall not weep.

16

up silver like dust, and lay out his clothing as if it were clay, he has laid it out, the righteous shall wear it, and the innocent will

should pile

17 then

once

share the silver.

18 He built his house like

night watchman might make.

19 He lies down,

be gathered, for when his eyes overtake him like a flood of waters, will

him. 21 The

east wind will

from his place, 22

turn and

a moth.

hoist5

a

It's like

a shack that some

rich man, but nothing more be gone. 20 Terrors will

are opened all will

and

by

night a sea-storm will make off with

him up and be on its way. It will sweep him at him without mercy. With the whole of

hurl itself

32

Interpretation

his

he flees from its hand. 23 But it

spirit

whistles

him

from his

off

him

palm upon

down its

claps

and

place."

Comments 1. Mishpath; Here is clearly

instance in

an

which one might

2. Job has

seen a

deal, but

great

when

he

Job

swears

that has

conflict

by

all

given

that is

by

appears

4. It is

him. He

in his

5.

as

in

poignancy

also unjust.

This is the

soul.

ingratitude. The

spite of the

for its

spirit of

fact that the

we are to understand verses

one

takes it to be Job's

account of

come

was a shared

how the

God,

value and

hard to know how

as

it

integrity

result of

that act

7 through 10. If, looked to him,

world once

in better focus.

time when Job was an integral part of the human world around

its

views and

he

shared

its trust. There

ways which could sense mock piety.

has been itself

itself

is

holy

great

so

it begins to There

is

can show gratitude

integrity

clinging to that as ingratitude.

however,

manifest

itself in Job's nostrils,

manifests

that all that

immediate

own

There is

rise to the bitterness in Job's

3. Gratitude is forced to

only

holy

his

to

returns

world, the claims of justice still loom above him. when

be tempted to

"right."

the word

use

no essential change

under an alien

In

in his simplicity,

verse

5 he

although

kind

of

simplicity

maintains

that there

was a

it has suddenly found

horizon.

"raise"

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

1 "There is taken

from

a mine

for

silver and a place where gold

the earth1; and the rock

an end to the

darkness. He

murk and the

Shadow

Abandoned

nels.

5 There is like

fire.5

bird

of

8

nor

a

6 Its

by

land

of

is

made

flow

is

made pure.

with copper.

3

2 Iron is

Man2

brings

everything to its limit, even to this rock of Death. 4 Far from any habitation, he blasts out chan

every

explores

passer

by, destitute

which gives us our

stones are

to

the

home

of

of all

humanity,3

daily bread,

sapphires,

and

but

wander.4

they

underneath

its dust is

it

churns

of gold.

7 No

prey knows the trails. The eye of the falcon has never caught sight of it, have the sons of pride ever trampled it over. The lion can bear it no 9 but man has put his hand to the flint and

witness,6

overturned its

by

the root.

precious

10 He

thing.

rips open channels

11 He binds up the

through the

flowing rivers

rocks.7

and the

His

hidden

mountains

eye sees

things

every

come

to

light.8

12 Yet wisdom, where can she be found?9 Which is the place of understand ing? 13 No mortal knows its value. Nor can it be found in the land of the living.

33

The Book of Job 14 The

Deep be

cannot

measured

gotten

by

'It is

says

not within

for gold,

the gold of

nor silver

Ophir,

gold nor glass can match

Neither

crystal nor coral

precious

than pearls.

be taken in

weight

20 Wisdom,

of

sky.13

its

weighed out as

have it

price.

by

the precious onyx, or

Nubia

of

she come

15 It

not.'

16 It

cannot

be

17 Nor

sapphire.

cannot express

its

value nor can

its

from? Which is the

place of understand

is concealed even, every living 22 Abaddon and Death have said, 'We have heard GOD12 understands the way to it; He 23 But

heavens."

only rumors of it with our knows the place, 24 for He that are under the

the Sea says 'I

gold.10

ing? 21 She is hidden from the from the birds

and

its value; nor vessels of fine gold be its wage. 18 can call it to mind, for gathering wisdom is more

does

where

be

by

or

19 The topaz

pure

me';

thing. She

eye of

ears.'

can

look to the

25 When He

ends of the

established

earth,

and see all things

the weight of the wind, and set

according to its measure, 26 when he gave a law for the rain and for the voice of the thunderbolt, 27 then it was that He saw it, passageway counted it, measured it, and delved into it. 28 And then He said unto man out the waters a

('adam), 'Behold, FEAR evil

is

of the

Lord,14

that

is Wisdom,

and

to turn away

from

understanding.""5

Comments 1.

2. 3.

"dust"

"He"

"mortals"

4. This,

one of the most

first Ode to Man. Few

beautiful

works

passages

in the book,

in literature have

praised

in

could

be

read as the

such elegant speech

the Baconian ideals of the conquest of nature. Job sees this apparent greatness as an glory.

image

his

own quest.

They, too, have left

friends down

of

and with

under

According

himself to,

By

but

what of

little indication

which gives us our our

daily daily lives,

human

of the and

is

they have dug

they have

conquered

Job?

bread"

of meaningful

which

has

committed

world.

The "land

to this view, the surface of nature, the one Job

gives

which, we live

Job has left his

their own powers

the surface and found a world of riches

It is their

surface.

the land of human habitation as

them all of human society.

and made their own;

5.

Men have looked beneath the

in which,

a much

conversation.

true nature of the

too meager

Its inner

say on horizon to form the basis

or perhaps one should

chumings must

first be

searched

out.

6. Man

can

force

nature

to reveal

itself to him in

capable of

Man revealing itself to itself.

overcome

the

paltriness of

his

can overcome

own nature.

ways

in

which

it is

not

nature, and hence he can

In this sense,

man

is

not a part of

34

Interpretation

nature, not because

of

in his nature, but because he

perversion

any

can conquer

and rule over nature.

7. Even veins

is

man's plan to reveal nature

in the

his

rock to guide

8. From Job

until

He

way.

Faust, containing

by nature. There are open by his own might.

not supplied

must

rip it

the inundation of

chaotic

has been

waters

the symbol of man's understanding of and control over the world

in

no

he

which

lives. 9. Perhaps the

impressive

most

aspect of

Chapter 28 lies in the

Job has taken in thinking through and articulating both moved by verses 1 through 11, yet the bare mention

One

sides. of

first

the

care which

cannot

but be

word of the

wisdom,"

is

verse, "Yet

to turn things quite the other way round. 10. Verses 12 through 18 are magnificent in their ability to reveal simul

next

taneously both 11. Men

fly

above

sufficient

the richness and the

can

it, it

poverty of the undertaking. beneath the surface, but even if, like birds, they

dig

only

do them

would

12. This is the first time

it is

Morphologically refer to

the one God

could

no good.

have

"GOD"

since Chapter 2. is commonly used outside the Book of Job to Israel. The word is in the singular, and can have we

met

the

word

a plural and of

"God"

a more generic meaning.

13. In these passages, Job ments of the others

be trying to in terms that fit into the world seems to

restate as

for himself the

he has been

argu

able to see

it

up till now. Unlike man, GOD has a complete view of an all-encompassing horizon. Man's horizons, by contrast, are limited, and their edges are hazy. Rumors from beyond seep in "that"

we "that"

merely

is

a

have

central

his

own

horizon,

out.

What

his

or whether man

shrouded

is faced

way

implies

"LORD,"

which we

frequently

saw

begin to

and

with a gulf

14. This is the only time in the text that the word word

see

we

The ambiguity of whether it is a to the reading of the book. Job's question is

either

"what"

not seen.

man of care can rummage through yond

lead

and obscure pathways

"what"

or

he

or

whether a

"Lord"

will appear.

in Chapters 1

and

be

pierce

cannot pass.

2,

The

and which will

in Chapter 38, is something like a personal name for the God of Israel. The root seems to be a word or "to meaning "to "being" "becoming" The distinction between the two, and can be made in begin to

re-emerge

be"

Hebrew, but The

not with the "Lord"

word

is

clarity that

one

a

very common Book of Job, especially in the Book of only time in Job. Its literal meaning is used

to apply to

human beings,

two English words

15. The out

and

structure and sense of

in the last two

If this

"mister"

suspicion

notes give

is true, it

and

become."

has in

word

either Greek or English. for the God of Israel outside

Psalms, Lords." "my

although

it

In the

occurs

the

here for the

it is often its meaning lies somewhere between the singular

"master."

the verse, together with what

it the

ring

would add to

of a

quotation

from

has been

pointed

psalmic literature.

the notion that this chapter is not to be

35

The Book of Job read as a simple recantation on the part of

the thoughts of others with

his

in terms that

Job, but

make sense

awareness of the partial nature of

his

more of an attempt

to him in own

to

order

grasp

of

to

come

restate

to grips

the whole.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

1 And

Job took up his proverb by, to the days when God

again

months gone

2 "Who

said:1

and

my head and I walked in the darkness by days when God was at home in my tent, 5

shone over autumnal yet with

I

and

me,

with

my lads

me; 6 to

all about

can return

to the

me, 3 when His lamp His light; 4 back to my

watched over

when the

when

cream, and the rock poured out its streams of oil

for

my feet

Almighty were

was

bathed in

me?2

7 When I went to the city gates and was about to take my seat on the square, 8 the young men would see me and retire, the elders rose and stood. 9 Princes refrained from words and put their hands over their mouths. 10 The voice of the nobles was

heard

saved a

to

hushed,

help

him. 13 The blessings

made the widow's cause

16 I

their tongue stuck to their palate, 11 for an ear had

and

it blessed me; an eye had seen and it approved, 12 because I had poor man when he cried out, and an orphan when there was no one else

and

fit like

heart

sing.

of those who

14 I

put on

hat. 15 I became

a coat or a

had been lost

judgment, to the

eyes

and

it

blind,

came to

covered me.

father to the needy, and often I would search out I did not even know. 17 I would break the jaw of the

the prey from his

shall perish

sand,'

19

multiplied as

'My

in my

branches.'

upon

them.

own

little

nest,4

his troops

my days

23

They

was ever

fresh, my bow

me and wait

25 I

chose their

or as one who

has

having

spoken

waited

for

they had

me

in

way,

and sat as chief.

compassion

for

would re

in expectation,

falling My

no changes.

expectation as

I dwelt

for the

24 I joked

so that my kindness would not overwhelm them because

self-confidence.5

a man

unjust and wrest

rain; their mouths opened wide as if to catch the spring rain. them a bit

for

roots opening me up to the waters, and the dew

20 My dignity resting upon my new itself in my hand. 21 Men would hear silent to hear my counsel. 22 After I had fell gently

a case

teeth.3

18 I thought to myself; 'I

words

A just

feet to the lame.

and

was a

whom

me, and I

as a

with

they had

king

no

among

mourners.

Comments

1. "And

again

Job took up his

that formulation

began

with

which

began "Ancient

time

it follows

made

proverb and said": The only other chapter that 27. That time, it followed the passage 26:5-14

specters writhe

the passage, "There

pure."

is

was

is

beneath the

a mine

for

sea and

its

denizens."

This

silver and a place where gold

36

Interpretation "digging"

The two

passages

"proverb,"

I take to

which

still

understood

Job's

refer to the rest of

be

to

grasp any relationship between his he has discovered lying beneath it.

the

that

world

2. In the last chapter, Job had their own digging, discover a

beneath

dig

seen men

their

from his

apart

The implication

speech.

surface world

to be that Job has yet to

seems and

are

own

surface, and

any human eye. He had seen it done and knew what it meant. But this knowledge only caused him to doubt his own ability to search behind his own surface in the most

by

decisive

justice

and

raised a good

by

before his

world

Being just

hat.

fire.

Spring

began to fall

the

autumnal

had

and summer

day

days,

come and well with

was good.

life had been for Job

most complete picture we get of what apart.

A just

cause

was natural and comfortable

4. This line in its context, together main credentials of

ruling

for

men

time has come to surface of

5.

already in his

of

fit like

for Job,

a

and

favorite

old coat or a

he knew fit

the world

it.

around

love

was

beauty

fellow citizens, manuring them

of

kindness. The seeming

3. This is the

Job

the

crop

the deceptive

banishing

was good.

retired, and ready to curl up

He had

in

made a mistake

his birth. The seeming

gone.

by

respect.

Perhaps he had of

new world as yet unseen

things

Greenberg

being

who

with verse

4, is,

as

it were,

one of

Job's

he is. The implication is that the ability

and

well, plus the willingness to relinquish that rule when the

do so, is

with

what

dignity

both forces

and what allows

Job to face the

and concern.

translates: "When I smiled at

them, they

would not

believe it;

favor."

they

never expected a sign of

my The Revised Standard translates: "I

dence

and

the light

The first means

"to

"to or

fall,"

"to

them when

they had

no confi

down."

my countenance they did not cast is that yappilun may come from pll, which normally intervene," but see Genesis 48:11, "I never expected to "to of

problem

pray"

or

face."

see your

smiled on

This is how

however,

and

Greenberg

in the

causative

takes it. It could as well come from npl,

form

could mean either

"to

down"

cast

disarm."

overthrow or

A further a subjective

problem

is

whether un

(The Revised

is

Standard)

an objective

ending.

(the

proposed

translation)

or

The Book

of

Translation

and

Job

Commentary

on

Chapters 30

31

and

Robert D. Sacks St. John's College, Santa Fe

CHAPTER THIRTY

1 But fathers I

now

they have

would

in

want and starvation.

destroyed. 4

joke',

those younger than I whose

my sheep dogs. 2 What is the from whom all vigor has been lost, 3 a

contempt to put with

their hands to me, those men

strength of wasteland

turned me into the

have felt

They

They

land

gnaw at a parched

they root

has become their food. 5 Driven from the heart

gather mallow and

and

destroy

as

leaves from the bushes. Broom

are

of

things, they

are cried

like thieves. 6

They find their quarter in river beds, in holes in the dust and the rock. 7 Braying in the bushes, they huddle together under a weed. 8 Sons of Fools and Sons of Nobodies! They have been whipped from the land.2 9 And now they have made a ditty of me and I have become a byword to them. 10 Oh, how they abhor me and keep their distance; they do not even refrain from spitting in my face. 11 They unfasten my tent rope and down I come. They have thrown off all restraint. 12 On my right, flowering youths rise up and put me to flight. They pave roads of destruction against me. 13 They upon

tear

up my 14 They

path and come

in

15 Terror turns days and

of

a great

upon

by

salvation passes

foster my demise but it does them

like

wave after wave of

pursues

gentility4

ceases.6

18

My

my tunic chokes at me.

become like dust

and ashes.

20 I cry out to You, but You give no brutal8 and 21 You have turned

at me.

22 You hoist

about

in the

prepared and

cry

for

out

The first bers 2

and

3,

wreckage. all that

in

answer. with

lives; 24

I

yet will not

stand

there, but

you

only

stare

the might of Your hand You per

wind9

up onto the 23 I know that You me

will

and set me astride to

deliver

me

those in turmoil

to

death,

reach out

be tossed the house their

hand

calamity.10

their

commentary appeared in Volume 24, Num Interpretation. The balance will appear in future issues.

twenty-nine chapters of the translation and and

wind,s

clothing envelops me in great restraint 19 It throws me into the mire and I

and the collar of

secute me.

like the

and my 16 Now, my soul has poured itself out, and hold of me. 17 By night my bones are whittled away,

my

a cloud.

misery have taken

the gnawing never

burst,

me; it

no good.

destruction.3

Volume 25, Number 1,

interpretation,

of

Winter 1998, Vol. 25, No. 2

Interpretation

156

soul weep for those who had seen hard times? My in waited I came 26 I hoped for the good but there evil;

25 Did I the poor.

for the light, but there Days I

of

stood

and

never only a murk. 27 My bowels churned, before me. 28 I walked in gloom with no sun

friend to the

and cried

ostrich.'2

30

out; 29

black

skin turned

My

my bones are scorched by the heat. 31 my flute to the voice of tears.

My

off me; and

I became

and so

a

and

for

expectation

came

poverty were ever up in the assembly

Jackal"

grieved

not

at rest. above.

brother to the

is

now

peeling lyre has turned to mourning

Comments 1. Verse 1 is intended Job's

kind

friendly

of gratitude which

dence, has been

back to

as a reference

laughter, intended to

leaves them

answered

by

a

only a derisive laughter. with

24

verse

last

of the

feeling

of

debilitating

2. In turning laughter into scorn, they have, in Job's eyes, lost all without gaining true animality. Their needs remain human, but the

implied

their jest makes

by

the most direct sense of

inability

They

to share.

it impossible for them to join

huddling

are

human

3. Job finds that he is

no

do

no

are powerless and can

together without

longer

able

harm. The

in the Hebrew text, has become

came

his

The

his

from his

compassion

contempt

his feelings

received notion of

5.

his inner

with others except

in

scoffing,

confused

and

for Job his

men

those who cannot see the

all

scorn,

and

the same

intertwined

goodnatured

their gibes, their contempt

jest

with

which

for him be

for them.

confusion of

terrifies

became

contempt

to maintain the fiction that these

mass effect of

the problem of contempt and compassion. When stemmed

humanity

the means to be human.

4. The word

depen

weed, sharing only their

under a

has, for Job, overwhelmed the surface. place of laughter, joking, playing, of

surface

chapter.

the burden of that crippling

relieve others of

being

of contempt and compassion

deep

watched to produce a

then works upon

sense of guilt which

sense of gentility.

"spirit."

or

6. Verse 17 is people

to

to be told

be taken in

a

completely literal

by

clench their teeth at night.

But why

himself

so

perhaps

the

by

for

harshly most

has been peering evaded

should

in sleep Job feel this

a crime which

fundamental at

not uncommon

poor shape

for

because they both

much pain we can

by twisting and turning, feeling without deeply in his being and punish he knows he did

by

the

not commit?

book. It is

This is

a question that

from behind every page, an enigma too "two or of multiple authorship.

us

of

It is

guilt so

question raised

Jobs"

speaking

in

It is hard to imagine how

cause ourselves and withstand waking.

way.

their dentist that their gums are

vital

to be

The Book of Job In

become

boy

this problem in a

facing

so much a part of

day

the works of Dr. Sigmund

when

breathe, I feel

the air we

like

much

a

157

Freud have

five-year-old

dressed in his Little Lord Fauntleroy suit, trudging home from the pond tiny sailboat under his arm. How shall he relate the great saga of his

with a

day's as

adventures at the

Mr. Darwin

looms

large:

at us

crime which verted

by

As Eliphaz,

his

when

should a man not

in fact

as

is too

narrow

his

little

or

He

God

as

for

has been

soul

fathers

a

per

for him has

that

known to Job,

own perversion with own sin.

such men

weight of guilt

feel that his

act of the

voice of

includes

pond the question still

like Job feel the

to see his

listen to the

view of man and

our

the whole of human society

perverted to recognize

the world

in

commit,

all-encompassing the human spirit?

and

the list of guests

even

an original and

Job is too

limited

Why

he knows he did

such power over

view of

dinner table

Mr. Melville? Yet

and

no

sees and

it,

his

any clarity, learn to forgo the

must

it

reveals

itself to him in

Job's nightly twistings and turnings are caused by his Conscience is the means of divine retribution. But doubts have been

own night visions.

own guilt. raised

concerning this way of looking at the world both in terms injustice that it may be causing with regard to Job.

of

itself

and

in

terms of the

Is it then, that by considering himself guilty pain in order to prove to himself the existence

causing himself such his guilt, he can come to

and of

by

terms with other pains, ones which have no cause? Our guilt, confirmed to us

by

our own

less

self-punishment, then becomes the

reason

for

our otherwise reason

pain.

Or does the

feeling

of guilt act

as

our

only immediate

guarantor of

the

cosmic significance of our actions?

Or do we, by condemning ourselves of sin, wish to place ourselves on a rank beyond ourselves by becoming the condemner as well as the condemned? If this is the case,

what

does it imply? Is it

some strange

kind

of

Kantian freedom

feel, in that we, and no other, such as the deposed father, have become Lord and Master over ourselves? Or is it a way we have of silently and sublimithat we

nally under

feeling

the

joys

tyranny,

of

even at

Compelling

as these reasons are

adequate

in the

from the

cognitive power of

case of

Job. These

living

daily

our

in general, they do

life

of

the matter as it

is

human thought.

apart

to be quite

not seem

arguments presuppose and gain their

and reasoned account of the workings of

heart

the expense of

the pain and dread of that tyranny.

from the

They

intend to

the human needs and

give a

psyche which

drives

of the

force

thoughtful touch the

investigator

himself. This may not, of course, always happen, but the science assumes that at least in theory it is possible. That would suggest that the human psyche can only be

understood

understanding,

Life were so

would

and

be

if it is hence

fundamentally

of

so simple

easily separable, but

understood as

misunderstanding itself. if the two, science and the

they

are not.

something

capable of

all-too-human

The Newtonian

concept of

psyche,

inertia,

a

Interpretation

158

by much human labor, thought, and worked its way down reflection, has by now become a mindless feeling that has for killed almost Galileo was to the bottom of the gut. believing that the earth street believed it. It the moved, and yet in not too long a time most people on is, however, doubtful

Surely I

see

it

haunt

could articulate

many

as cogent as those who

Ghosts

any

had

reason

our

every

bury

cannot,

argue that

our

themselves down

dreams

of thoughts that once

lived in

other minds

step.

every

might

for that belief.

said, "The sun moves,

once

morning."

rise

One

where

that

they had nothing

at

arrived

once countertintuitive notion

are made.

Newtonian

deeply

ghosts

enough

This is surely true,

have not,

into

and perhaps

our souls to

and yet

they do

even

live in the land

seem

to be on their

way.

Perhaps the

one thinker of

to give an

serious attempt

ity

which

Such had

is

capable of

questions

account of

human thought

one to remember

his

Thrasymachus. Plato

in

sees a world

which

must regard

it

as an activ

itself, is Socrates.

understanding

lead

with a man named

Thrasymachus

the past who was most alive to the fact that any

justice

account of a

recounts

discussion he

once

the story in The Republic.

was the advantage of the stronger.

by asking him whether if eating a great quantity of beef is to of Polydamas the pancratiast, does that mean that it is to the

Socrates begins the advantage

to do so.

advantage of all of us

1

.

Justice is the

2. The

stronger

A. Justice is

3. The

advantage of the stronger

is Polydamas

the advantage of

Polydamas is eating a great quantity quantity of beef.

advantage of

B. Justice is eating

Polydamas of

beef

a great

QED

The

is very silly, not what Thrasymachus meant at all. Not in the right way, but it makes Thrasymachus a bit nervous all

whole argument

one word

is

used

the same to see his words

What he meant, all must

world

is the

own advantage and what world would never

that notion without

ing

to a world larger than the one he focused on.

course, is that justice is the advantage of the ruler and that follow his command. As it turns out, somewhere on the periphery of

Thrasymachus's his

leading

of

is

have

having

notion that

not.

the stronger knows what is

Somehow he

made

any

must

sense to

have

always

him, but he

truly

to his

known that,

or

focus in

on

cannot

to make a radical reinterpretation of his understand

of the world.

Once Thrasymachus is forced to

thought, however, he opportunity

of

embraces

rejecting it.

it

with

consider

vigor,

the environment of his own

although

Socrates

gives

him the

159

The Book of Job Polemarchus,"

"It doesn't

I said, "if Thrasymachus says it any difference, that way now, let's accept it from him. Now tell me, Thrasymachus, was this what you wanted to say the just is, what seems to the stronger to be the advantage of the make

whether

stronger,

it is

advantageous or not?

Shall

we assert that this

is the way

you

it?"

mean

"Not in the

least,"

he

said.

"Do

you suppose

stronger'

"I did not

that I call a man who makes mistakes?"

he is making I said, "when you

at the moment when

mistakes

suppose you to mean

infallible but

this,"

also make mistakes

in

things."

some

agreed that the rulers are

(340 c)

This step is fatal to Thrasymachus's argument, although it is hardly fatal to Thrasymachus was forced to step outside his hero to see

the man. It means that

his

than remain inside to feel his power. He

does this partly because he has to make sure of his power in the future, but partly because he wants to be admired, and to be admired means to be admired from the outside. wisdom rather

This

that he wants to be

possessing an art. But when Socrates threatens to make Thrasymachus step beyond his art as those who care for horses are judged by those who can tell whether a horse has been well cared for

means

recognized

as

not, Thrasymachus turns on him:

or

"Tell me,

Socrates, do

instead

you answer

neglects your

fault

do

you

as

it

have

nurse?" this?"

of

asking

sniveling

"Because,"

such

doesn't

nose and

I

"Why

a wet

things?"

give

"Shouldn't

said.

he said, "you know

it the wiping you need, (343 a)

since

she

it's her

shepherd."

not even recognize

Shepherds, according insofar

you

Thrasymachus, only

to

makes them

sheep

or

fatter

rule

for the

good of the

and gives the shepherd more meat.

sheep

Stepping

order to see what is best for the sheep themselves can at best only be Thus The only real question is, "What is best for the Thrasymachus has escaped Socrates but in so doing, he has failed to escape outside

in

shepherd?"

ancillary.

himself. Near the

end of

their

discussion, Thrasymachus readily

to the state

agrees

ment:

"Let

say it, then, as is like but what is unlike,

follows,"

us

I said, "the just

man

while the unjust man tries

does

not

try

to

better

to better both like and

what

unlike?"

(349d) For example, the

musical man

tuning his lyre in the reason

is

is

to

best the

way that other musical does not try to best another

same

the musical man

able

precisely by do. But for that same

unmusical man men

musical

man,

and

the same

true of the wise and of the just. But unlike the artisans, the unjust man, who

wishes

to

better,

that

is to better anybody or anything, can have no common of which he could be praised. Thrasymachus,

goals outside

himself in terms

who so wants

to be seen and to be

heard, has finally been

pried out of

himself

160 in

Interpretation

has been

by

seen

a

bear.

Socrates's goal, then, is

not to

help

lead him beyond his

might

defeat Thrasymachus

The

he

or to prove that

Perhaps that can't even be done. What he may have been him find those bits and byways on the periphery of his

wrong.

to

remains as silent as one who

to see if he can be seen. He blushes and

order

able

was

is

to do

vision which

horizon.

own

Meno, on the other hand, is a different matter. Meno has a dogma, or one might even say, an ideology. It is only the dead

case of

teaching,

or

first grew up in an other mind, the mind of Gorgias. Since he merely inherited these thoughts, Meno is not in touch those vague and all but forgotten peripheral thoughts which dwell in the outer limits of Gor-

remains of a thought which

gias's

horizon,

them. If

he does

Since

ter.

our

not

and

they

horizons

Only

his way back to those dim and smudged ideas which through which he must pass if he is to go beyond

can work

his thought

surround

that is at the focus of his attention.

and which underlie all

Gorgias himself

will always

be

are vague and

itself, only it can offer a means of willing to face his own horizon.

drifting

for

search

unarticulated charac

off

into

a world

beyond

then cannot escape until he is

Meno,

escape.

Modern science, however, in its

him in their

with

shaggy,

rigor and exactitude

demands

a

well-defined object.

Freud, of course, sees the id, but in his attempt

that there

is

to emulate

sharp distinction between the ego and what is generally thought to be the way of no

modern

science, he did not give sufficient heed to Plato's partly explicit, partly

implicit

claim that all meaningful

Freud's

as well, can

reason

as

and

by

prior

the

was

the first man to feel the

first, he

met

it

hence

own and

where

born

as

Without them there

life. But

social

would

reason

them back to

knows only that it depend upon it. Well

are not

it

identical. Job,

of

that

so

distinction,

was yet naked and unmediated

human thought.

are

bringing

The two

full implication

unprepared while

can

we remember

8:8-10

Only

not

only live Bildad's

in

need of others.

established either

The

by

the

those ghosts we call our common heritage.

for

grounds

believe in

as a rethought

ask of the

fathers had

by

and

horizons

well-defined

be insufficient

does

life

feeble,

animals, weak,

everyday life of action requires Fathers or divine revelation, or munal

his

along that edge and in the gray it has already seen.

place

a social and a rational animal.

he knew,

being

We

including

tries to make clearer to itself what

Man is both

far

only take

human thought,

ghosts.

thought.

by learning

communal action or com

It

can

only grasp them

Sociality,

on the other

by

hand,

to live with the ghosts. Our lives

words:

first

generation.

searched out;

for

nothing, our days are but a

we are

shadow

Seat only

yourself of a

passing

firmly

upon what their

yesterday and know land. Will they

over the

not

The Book of Job teach you and speak to you as the words come

their

out of

tumbling

161

*

heart?

"asking"

But is that and of

the asking of piety and belief, or the asking of wonder doubt? For Bildad the answer is clear, and to do otherwise is not only to

Sphinx, it is

to answer the riddle of the

try

Reason

and

to threaten Laius as well.

dedication to the surface, then, demand the

one

thing forbidden

by divine law, tradition, and sociality, that is, autonomous understanding. Job is both a rational animal and a social animal, and he is both in the deepest is

sense.

is

and

not

He therefore lives

as the

forbidder

which

Job is

is that

which

7. of

and

hence,

aware of

is felt

Greenberg

as the

it. This

act of

translates: "With

self-forbidding

translation

me about

"My

like the

garment

Sam.

28:8, 1 Kings 20:38, 22:30). That

tion. In every case the emphasis is change of clothing.

first

the

person.

in

the self wants most

change

my

The

clothing:

The Revised Standard translates: "With

meaning of the word ithappas. Its distort" or "to disguise means "to

the

I

great effort

ive, it

is

of what

neck

waist."

my garment; it binds

as an alternative

savior, and this is the form

or

rewarder,

as guilt.

my tunic fits my

seizes

two shaggy horizons. For each the other

under

there. As we have seen, sociality can only articulate itself to itself

It

must also

On the

other

disfigured."

be

"to

root means oneself"

by

violence

but it

my Here the first search."

In

it

gives

problem

the reflex

clothing (Cf. I for Greenberg's transla

a change of

would account

on the. act of

disguising, however, is in

pointed out that the verb

hand,

the emphasis seems to be on the

is

tunic,"

collar of

while the word azar

does

the

not on

the third not

mean

"to

gird,"

that on the waist. I then take

strength rather

him to be saying the he feels his clothing pulling at him and distorting him. as the subject rather the object of the This means taking the word for "clothing"

Think only of Phaedra. 8. See notes to 30:29, 39:1,

verb.

9.

41:2.

or

10. This is felt

from

and

"spirit"

self

has itself become divided. Job the

der, dissociated from itself found that he

in

as the silent stare of self at self

could no

and

weak

from its sociality,

longer be

which

the division of

self

has become Job the forbid

while

Job the

autonomous when cut off

has

autonomous

from his divided

self.

11. The Hebrew constantly (some say the

(tan) has

rings of the others. "snake,"

several

It

"sea

To

catch

"seahorse,"

echo of

the other, think of the word

somewhat strange

horse, good

although

but

word, we

in the

stronger.

each, as

monster"

say the "dragon"), or, as in the ring of the way in which

others

"jackal."

and

meanings

can mean

cannot

case of

hear

without

or our

we

the

shall

case, it can

each

see,

"Serpent"

always

mean

bears

an

which, partly because it is a

vaguely thinking

of

the

land

the word tan the connection was probably as

162

Interpretation

Even

verb, like the

when used with a singular

name

of

God, it normally

Hebrew ending (tanim), or the more mystical-sounding (tanin).

appears with a plural ending, either the regular somewhat more

foreign,

and

In the Biblical text, it is even

been

considered

hence

somewhat

Leviathan,

often connected with the

to be etymologically

connected with

may have

and

levi, "to

it

twist,"

and tan.

We first

Tan in the book

meet the

Gen. 1:21

So God

of

Genesis

as the great sea monster.

created the great sea monsters and

every

living

moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their

The

next

time we meet the tan it seems to

be something

more

that

creature

kinds, like

a serpent:

'Prove yourselves by working a say to Aaron, 'Take your rod and cast it So Moses down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as the LORD commanded; Aaron

"When Pharaoh

Exod. 7:9ff.

says to you,

miracle,'

then you

shall

(tan).'

down his

cast

serpent

rod

before Pharaoh

(tan). Then Pharaoh

sorcerers; and

they

and

his servants,

and

it became

a

summoned the wise men and the

also, the magicians of

Egypt, did

For every man cast down his rod, But Aaron's rod swallowed up their

their secret arts.

the

and

same

by

they became

rods."

serpents.

It is not, however, the in

for

normal word

serpent

(nachash)

which

had been

used

an earlier passage:

The LORD

Exod. 4:2

said

to

him, "What is

And he said, "Cast it

and

it became

Moses, "Put hand

and caught

In fact, the word verse in the Bible:

Ps. 91:13

You serpent

love, I In its

role as

Isa. 27:1

it,

hand,

and

tan seems to

be

will

you will

hand?"

your

So he

the

it

by

a rod

In that

serpent

day

the LORD

(nachash),

and the

will protect

with

fleeing

and

He said, "A on the ground,

tail"

so

he

said to

put out

his

"serpent"

in only

adder, the young lion

one other

and the

trample under foot. Because he cleaves to me in

deliver him; I

Leviathan the

it

in his hand.

used to mean

lion

the

him, because he knows my

the sea monster, it is closely related to the

punish

cast

Moses fled from it. But the LORD and take

it became

will tread on the

(tan)

on

a serpent and

out your

in

that

ground."

rod."

he

his hard

Leviathan,

and great and

strong

sword will

(nachash), Leviathan the twisting the monster (tan) that is in the sea. slay

serpent

will

name.

The Book of Job and as we can of

see, the Biblical authors are again divided in their understanding

the ultimate

harsh

as

it

standing of the tan of the sea, although the division is in the case of the Leviathan. See note to 3:8.

was

According

163

to some accouunts, the monster will one

Ps. 74:13

Thou didst divide the

sea

day

be

not as

destroyed,

might; thou didst break the heads

by thy

of

the monster on the waters.

Isa. 5 1 :9

Awake, days

of

awake, put

strength, O

on

old, the generations of

Rahab in pieces, that didst

dry

long

pierce

LORD;

arm of the

ago.

Was it

awake, as in

not thou that

didst

cut

the monster? Was it not thou that didst

up the sea, the waters of the great deep; that didst way for the redeemed to pass over?

depths

make the

of the sea a

whereas

for

others

Ps. 148:6

he

will

And he

be tamed;

established them

which cannot

be

monsters and all

for

ever and

ever; he fixed their bounds

Praise the LORD from the earth,

passed.

This time, however, there is no hint of playfulness Ezekiel gives two fuller descriptions of the beast

help

to the

you sea

deeps, or admiration. which might

be

of some

reader:

Ezek. 29:2

Son

of man, set your

him

face

against

Pharaoh

king

Egypt,

of

and

Egypt; speak, and say, Thus says prophesy the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster that lies in the midst of his streams, that says, 'My Nile against

and against all

it.'

is my own; I made fish of your streams

I

will put

stick to your

hooks in scales;

the midst of your streams, with all the

your

and

fish

I

jaws, will

and make the

draw

you

up

out of

of your streams which stick

to your scales.

Ezek. 32:2

Son

of man, raise a

lamentation

over

Pharaoh

king

of

Egypt,

and

say to him: You consider yourself a lion among the nations, but you are like a monster in the seas; you burst forth in your rivers, trouble the waters with your

feet,

and

foul their

rivers.

Thus

Lord

says the

my net over you with a host of many peoples; and I will haul you up in my dragnet. And I will cast you on the ground, on the open field I will fling you, and will cause all the birds of the GOD: I

air

will throw

to settle on you, and I will gorge the beasts of the whole earth with

you.

Here the

tan appears as the great

maker of the

Nile

to be not the

(nachash) himself.

which

maker

Pharaoh

blue Egyptian

pretended

to

but the destroyer. This

that was destroyed

in Exodus

hippopotamus-god,

reported

be, but in Ezekiel, he is

revealed

would explain

appeared

to

Pharaoh

why the as a tan.

serpent

It

was

164

Interpretation

Job's

that

great complaint

man

is

ever watched rather than

Chapter 7, verse 12 with the words: "Am I the You set watch over But now his awareness

trusted, began in

sea or some monster

me?"

failure

his brothers to

of

strangely pulled by a has come in the form The

jackal, is

the ostrich,

brotherhood

sense of of

I

down

Like Job, the tan live

it

and constant companion

to

land

of

through the

world of man.

by

and

its

and

dog

throughout the Bible as roaming

went out

Dung Gate,

feeling

the Jackal.

desolation just beyond the Neh. 2:1

the

and

watched

that same tan, but this time

with

the wild cousin of the domestic pictured

being

of

his brotherhood have left him

recognize

that

(tan)

night

by

Valley

the

I inspected the

Gate to the Jackal's Well

walls of

Jerusalem

had been destroyed

gates which

on the edge of the

by

desolate city, in

which were

and

to the

broken

fire.

a wasteland

devoid

of

human habitation: Hazor

Jer. 49:33

become

shall

dwell there,

shall

of

jackals,

everlasting waste;

an

them.

It

will never

will pitch

his

tent

be inhabited

howling

or

dwelt in for

will

lie down there,

creatures; there ostriches will

dance. Hyenas

will

palaces; its time is

all generations; no

no shepherds will make their

there,

there. But wild beasts

and

dwell,

its houses

frightening the

voice

world that

in the Tempest

12. "daughters seems to

be

author will use

This

change

about

no

reader

will soon

him

as a man.

knows that it is into just

from

reflect a more

such a world that

beckon him.

whom

refer

to the ostrich, and there

however,

he

will

the same as the word

learn

so much.

There the joy."

meaning "to shout for fundamental transformation in Job's thoughts

the word which comes

may

Perhaps he has

both society and his sociality and human eye or human tongue. For him it is a

to doubt that. It is not, ostrich

of

own

is usually taken to

no reason

be full

cry in its towers, and jackals in the pleasant hand and its days will not be prolonged.

greed,"

of

in 39:13 for the

used

knows

thought, but the

will

close at

acted as a man, and yet no man sees

into the

Arab

flocks lie down

and there satyrs will

no choice now other than to abandon meld

no man

in her.

And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pride of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew

Isa. 13:19

Job has

haunt

a

no man shall sojourn

from

a root

the bird and about wild nature in general.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

1 I have maiden?1

made

2 What

a

part

my eyes, for how could I have I in God above, or heritage from the

covenant

with

gaze upon

Almighty

a

on

The Book of Job high? 3 Is

165

calamity for the unjust and disaster only for those who work 4 Does He not see my ways or take count of my every step? 5 Have I walked along with falsehood, or has my foot hurried to deceit? 6 not

wickedness?

Let Him

7 If my step has taint stuck

or a

eyes,

and then God will know of my from the way, my heart gone after my to my hand, 8 then let me sow, but another eat, or let my

justice,

weigh me on the scales of

simplicity.

wandered

crop be 9 If my heart was seduced by a woman and I set entrance way, 10 may my wife grind with another, uprooted.2

over

her, 11 because 12 It

sion.3

have

be

would

a

and

let

have been licentiousness

fire consuming down

my

neighbor's

others

bow down

and a

juristic

Abaddon,4

to

perver

that I

all

uprooting

ever accomplished.

13 If How

I felt

ever

contempt

they brought

when

I

would

the same

for the

case against

answer

in my

who made me

cause of one of

Him if He

should call me

belly

mother's

my servants,

man or maid

me, 14 what would I do when God

make

him

into

as well?

rose up?

15 Did

account?

Did He

not

not

form

He

us

in

womb?5

16 How 17

that would

ambush at

I

could

withhold pleasures

from

the poor or drain a widow's eye,

bread alone, not sharing it with the fatherless, when for a father? 18 From my mother's belly I was 19 -Whenever I saw a man who was lost, without

or even eat a crust of

they had

grown

mother's6

their

up

with me

guide.

clothing, nothing to cover his pitiful state, 20 damn if his loins didn't bless

because he (knew that he

me of

could

always)

himself

warm

with the

shearing

sheep.

my 21 If

ever

I brandished

hand

a

against the

fatherless because I

22 let my shoulder fall from its the joint, 23 because divine torment would fill me bear its weight. at

standing

24 If

ever

or rejoiced

ever

I

the gate,

saw

I

placed

in the

my

confidence

greatness of

my

the radiance of the

in gold,

wealth or

light,

socket or with

fear

arm

and

I

help

break

at

could not

gold my security, 25 found in my hand; 26 if walking in splendor, 27 and

or called

the

my

saw

fine

bounty

or the moon

my heart secretly attracted, placed my fingers to my lips to kiss them, 28 that too would have been a juristic perversion for I would have forsaken God with

the most

29 come

high.7

Could8

I have

rejoiced when

to life because evil had found them,

by asking for his life have said; "Who will let sin

32 I left traveler.

no

stranger

I

with a curse. us at

so shattered

by

opening'0

go out the

30

struck at those that without

31 Even the

his flesh? We

sleeping

33 Would I have

concealed perversion was

hardship

out of

giving my

men of

will not

doors but

be

my

hate

me or

palate over to

own

tent would

satisfied."9

opened

like (some)

my doors to the

man ('adam) or my in my bosom 34 through terror of the great multitude? or family disgrace that I would stand petrified, not daring to

way?"

covered over

sins

166

Interpretation

35 Who

let the

or

answer,

find

will

36 I'll

will also

has

man who

hoist13

it up give him

listen? Well, here is my

someone to

on

it down in

a quarrel against me write

my shoulders,

an account of

or wear

it

round me

my every step

and

I

Almighty

Let the

writ:

like

a

book.

37 But I

a crown.

it to him

will present

as a

prince!14

38 But if my own land cries out against me, its furrows weeping together, and 39 claims that I have eaten its produce without payment and snuffed out the life of its owners, 40 then may thorns grow in that place for wheat and foul for

weeds

barley.15

THE WORDS OF JOB ARE

TAM!'6

Comments

1. and

Berith

karafi, literally, "I have

legalistic turn

Have rocks

no

FEAR

in the field,

and can even within

of phrase than

be

of

beasts

the

and the

beasts

used to refer

it the full tension

and

It is

Eliphaz

uses

of the earth, of

formal

covenant."

cut a

for

fields

the

you

have

bring

will

to the legal forms of a

contradictory

a much more

in 5:22-23:

a covenant with the

you

peace,

marriage.

felt

interweaving

The

at

verse

holds

the end of the

last chapter between sociality and the need for autonomous understanding. As the tension in this verse implies, sexuality is claimed by both nature and by convention. What seems natural and direct for the one requires law and cere mony for the

Job, by

This inner

other.

the pre-eminently

cutting himself

off

from the

conflict

is felt

as guilt.

entering into a covenant, is sociality. Human sexuality, in

socio-political act of

most primal

form

of

its ambiguities, is central, then, to all this disarray. In giving immortality, it is another key to our autonomy, but in so doing, it our

lack

immortality,

of

for

our weakness and need

to our sociality. Again the two are

linked,

and

others.

in their

It

us

a

kind

of

reminds us of

is, then,

also

key

opposition give rise

to

shame and guilt.

But how child

know

deep of

are such thoughts?

death

How buried in

When his bottle drops to the floor, the If he cries, it sometimes

sometimes

it does

such

returns, but

not return at all.

among things? Is he

our soul?

What does the

and mortality?

a

thing

thoughts are seeds

sometimes

But how

that can

be

knows that

can

alone.

the notion of mortality, when

it

unthinged

it is broken

Newtonian inertia

ever

is

no more.

and ugly, a

and

thing

like the bottle? How many of on the fringe of his horizon?

Is this early feeling full blown, to

comes

what was

he know that he too is

that have become buried

When the bottle drops he is

soul than the notion of

child

of

loneliness

what allows

itself deeper into

dig sounded, deep

as that was?

our

The Book of Job

167

A child must be confounded when he hears of a time when his father was a little boy, when his father was he, and he was not. What role does it play in his imagination that his father was once too small to protect? Does it carry a scent of the notion

2. In

God,

that one

he himself

day

between Job

spite of all the rift

between Job

or

Job,

and

will protect another?

one

thing

his

and

friends,

between Job

or

and

be held in common; on all called but Justice is

seems to

"manliness,"

hands round, not wealth or what is sometimes seen to be the highest human virtue. There is also, at least on Job's part, the feeling that there is some common understanding concerning what things are just

and what

that

understanding

The

things

are

might

unjust, regardless

however

of

rough and readymade

be for Job.

disagreement, however,

seems to center

itself

on a question

justice. Job believes in that guarantor, but

the guarantor of that

he can see nothing guarantied. 3. There is something of the oxymoronic tween the legal and the prelegal.

concerning his own

with

eyes

4.

about

this phrase. It hovers be

"eating"

5. This translation requires reading berhem for barehem (see Gordis, The Book of Job, Jewish Theological Seminary- of America, 5738, p. 348). In the note to 3:11, there was a brief discussion of the importance of the "womb"

words words at

"belly."

In that

and

have for

each of the

note

I discussed the importance these two

three speakers. But

now

We

must

take a second look

Job.

This can

chapter either

tell,

an

honest

is

or

leads up to Job's last to recount his way

attempt

his three friends that his

assure

justice,

as

have

actions

that term is understood

by

the

words. of

life.

always

They are, so far as one They are intended to

been in

tradition, the fathers,

accordance with and

the law. For

the tradition, it is the guarantor who stands behind this understanding.

Job's position, however,

seems more

Job 31:15

who made me

Even

Did

not

He

Did He

not

form

at the

Job 1:21

very

us

beginning

Naked I

in the

of

the

came out of

nearly in my

expressed

mother's

by

belly

the words

make

him

as well?

same womb?

book, Job had

my

mother's

belly

said:

and naked

I

shall return

there.

In

verse

15, Job implies

fers from the foundation

as understood

tions are closely connected to

bring

men

autonomy.

together.

his understanding of justice dif the tradition. For each, the founda

that what supports

what we

by

have

called

sociality, the forces

As hitherto understood, sociality

stood

in

which

opposition to

168

Interpretation It concealed the sociality had become a painful world. the understanding, for autonomy in very brutal ways. In his former

For Job, the

human

need

womb, which could rest

world of

We

undisturbed and

wholly

Job 3:19

Small

beginning

are

of

do indeed

and the slave

different Job,

Flood. It

is free

proper

be

these incidences or

world

up

characters

is

from

until

one original

the time of the

however,

that after Noah's drunken spree,

noted

his lord.

a

give an account of the coming-to-be of all men

must

of

one who

tell the story of the development of that

and

man,

other.

to any

later coming together. wholly foreign to the Bible, but they must be under context. The first ten chapters of the book of Genesis

are not

their

unrelated

is beginning to spell out to what the comic Job had said in Chapter 1. Verse 15 have a more cosmic origin and have its roots in an

to see a

indicates that sociality may original unity rather than in Such thoughts

wholly

where each was a place of quietness

great, all are there,

and

himself the implications

stood within

death,

to

was often related

ever mentioned again either

not one of

in the Torah

in

or

The names Adam, Eve, the Garden of Eden, Cain, Abel, his ark, are totally dropped from the text. Once the covenant has been made between God and the animate world, only it is to be relied upon, and All is forgotten in nothing is to be established on a more primitive foundation.

the earlier prophets.

Noah

and

Noah's drunken spree, became

aware of

D. Sacks, A

1990].) If Job,

his

and

Commentary

on the

his

need

tempest. what

Perhaps these things

to raise those

Making

clear

lies beneath the

so much

feared

of ultimate

lack 8.

of

not

in

very

he

spoke of

agreement

clear

implications that he

imply becoming

wishes

to

Job, but they do indicate

eventually of

send

him into the

this way of understanding

must

face the

"a brother to the

to make clear to his friends that

concerning the place of

they may disagree

he

world which

Jackal."

they

justice in human

about the nature of

ac

its foundations.

"her."

and

his friends

importance,

sensitivity to

Greenberg

"if"

an

having its justification

as

which would

to himself the

tion no matter how much

is

are not

difficulties

however, Job

in fundamental

6. Literally, 7. This Job

sociality

surface would

when

For the present, are all

sees

that each will receive his just rewards, but in some

unity, the distinction between autonomy and sociality begins to

of original

evaporate.

Book of Genesis [Lewiston, NY: Mellon Press,

be the case,

as seems to

a guarantor who guarantees

form

only Ham, the cursed one, perhaps by accident, (For a further discussion, see Robert

antediluvial origins.

beauty

on

starts off with

clause, but

share: that neither wealth nor

although the verse shows that

Job's

"Did

beauty

but justice,

this is not due to any

part.

I"

and the

neither one works as well

Revised Standard translates it

in light

of

as

the verse as a whole.

The Book of Job 9. Job is

pleased and confident that

his followers honor justice

they honor their leader. It is indeed a sign of his 10. The theme of dele^ and of "doors,"

part of our story.

The

subject

that the messengers made,

Gen. 18:1

of

opening

Abraham

appeared to

his

important

an

is comparing the two

visits

to Abraham:

one

The LORD the

is

petah,

strikes one as one

more than

leader.

virtue as a

"openings,"

first

169

tent

in the heat

by

the oaks of

of the

Mamre,

as

he

sat at

day. (3)

the other to Lot:

Gen. 19:6

Lot

In

each case

in

question

in the

used

a

house. Houses have doors, doors that

He said, "Please, my lords, way."

They

your

far

biguously

used

The story to

11:6),

as

of

Abraham

open and shut.

said,

"No;

house

turn aside to your servant's

feet;

rise early night in the

then you can

and

and go on

square."

we will spend the

tell, is the first time

one can

word

openings.

spend the night, and wash your

so

him, (4)

after

passage as a whole.

Tents have only

a tent.

Gen. 19:2

That,

door

shut the

the number in parentheses indicates the number of times the

is

Lot lived in lived in

door to the men,

went out of the

"house"

the word

was

unam

to refer to an actual physical structure.

doors, in

originates

Gen. 19:5ff

and

which

Lot, like

with

the story of the city (see note

violence:

they

tonight?

called to

Bring

out of the

Lot, "Where

are the men who came to you

may know the door after him.

them.''

them out to us, so that we

door to the men,

daughters

two

begins

who

have

shut

not

known

let

a man;

me

Lot

went

Look, I have

.

bring

them out to

do nothing to these men, for But they replied, they have come under the shelter of my "Stand And they said, "This fellow came here as an alien, and you, and do to them as you please; only

roof."

back!"

he

the

order

we must

being

struck with

both

small and great, so that

at the

deep

full

range of all

open

worse with you than with

inside

them,

Lot,

and came near

reached out their

and shut the

men who were at were unable

the

to

the fact that Job's

door

find

hands

door. And

the

of the

house,

door. (6)

"door,"

is

"open,"

the verses in which doors are spoken of as

This list is

doors lead to horror:

men

with

they

significance of

either open or not open.

Often

blindness the

they

deal

against the man

brought Lot into the house

to see the

look

we will

door to break it down. But the

and

In

play the judge! Now Then they pressed hard

would

them."

complete.

170

Interpretation

Judg. 3:25

So they waited until they were embarrassed. When he still did not opened open the doors of the roof chamber, they took the key and There

them.

The story

lord

was their

lying

dead

on

the floor.

continues

Judg. 19:22

While they perverse

They

lot,

enjoying themselves,

were

surrounded the

said to the old

man who came

house,

man, the

into

your

pounding on the door.

and started

master of

house,

the men of the city, a

house, "Bring

the

so that we

out

the

may have intercourse

with

him."

Judg. 19:27

In the morning her master got up, opened the doors of the house, he went out to go on his way, there was his concubine

and when

lying The story

at the

continues and

2Sam. 13:17

He

door

called the

can seem

"then when

I

young

man who served and

whoever comes out of

from

return victorious

daughter

him

came out to meet

have brought

cannot

down

Judg. 16:3

up, of

They

can

take

by

hold

bar

the

me

back my

her"

(3)

doors

of

with

at

Mizpah;

and

behold, his dances; she

timbrels and with neither son nor and

said,

daughter. And

"Alas, my daughter!

very low, and you have become the cause have opened my mouth to the LORD,

of

and

of

and

lay only

the

doors

until midnight.

of the

all, put them on

hill that is in front

of

Then

at midnight

gate and the two

city his shoulders,

he

rose

up,

posts, pulled them

and carried

them to the

top

Hebron.

lead to fear:

ISam. 3:15

Samuel house

I

vow."

Samson:

But Samson took

said, "Put this

after

trouble to me; for I

great

are torn

and

offering."

when you

him

my house to meet me, Ammonites, shall be the LORD's,

the

the

his only child; beside her he had he saw her, he rent his clothes,

was

threshold.

Jepthah learns:

up by me as a burnt Then Jephthah came to his home

Judg. 11:34

on the

bolt the door

are ominous, as

to be offered

They

her hands

with

the rape of Tamar:

my presence,

joyful, but they

Judg. 11:31

house,

the

includes in

woman out of

They

of

lay

of the

there until morning; then he opened the

LORD. Samuel

doors

was afraid to tell the vision to

of the

Eli

The Book of Job- 111

They

can

be

connected with madness:

ISam. 21:13

So he

and

changed

in their

when

let his

his behavior before them; he He

presence.

pretended to

scratched marks on the

doors

of

be

mad

the gate,

down his beard.

spittle run

and slavery:

Exod. 21:6

his

then the

door

master shall

or the

him before God. He

bring

doorpost;

and

his

shall

master shall pierce

his

be brought to ear with an

awl; and he shall serve him for life.

Deut. 15:17

then you shall take an awl and thrust

door,

he

and

female

regard to your

or

be

shall

it through his

forever. You

your slave

shall

do

earlobe

into

the

the same with

slave.

lamentation:

Zech. 11:1

or are

only

Open

open

for the

2Kings 9:3

LORD: I

flee; do shall

so that

fire may devour

your cedars!

taking flight: of

anoint you

oil,

pour

king

over

it

on

his head, and say, 'Thus says Then open the door and

Israel.'

linger."

not

The dogs

2Kings 9:10

doors

sake of

Then take the flask the

or the

doors, O Lebanon,

your

shall eat

her."

bury

Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, opened the door and fled.

and no one

Jerusalem

opened

Then he

are shut:

And I

Neh. 7:3

until

said to

the sun is

them shut and of

Jerusalem,

them, "The

hot;

gates of

are not to

while the gatekeepers are still

bar the doors. Appoint

some at their watch

guards

be

standing guard, let

from among the inhabitants

posts, and others before their own

houses."

When it began to be dark

Neh. 13:19

sabbath, I

they

at the gates of

commanded that the

should not

be

servants over the

doors

should

Jerusalem before the

be

shut and gave orders that

opened until after the sabbath.

gates, to

prevent

And I

any burden from

door is only

Prov. 18:16

A

a

thing

gift opens

to be hoped for:

doors; it

my

brought in

on

being

the sabbath day.

or an open

set some of

gives access to the great.

172

Interpretation

God has

opened

Ps. 78:23

them, but only the Yet he

commanded the skies above, and opened the

Perhaps that is why God Gen. 6:16

Make opening decks.

Gen. 7:16

never

taught Noah how to

for the ark,

a roof

of the ark

Abraham had

innocent people,

him;

commanded

and

finish it

and

in its side;

And those that entered, had

in heaven:

ones

make

it

LORD

of

heaven;

door.

make a

to a cubit above; and put the

lower,

with

female

male and

the

doors

of all

second, and third

flesh,

in

went

as

God

him in.

shut

opening and Lot had a door. Openings are the place of like Tamar and Uriah who in their innocence trusted

an

people

too much.

Gen. 38:14

her

she put off

widow's

garments,

up, and sat down at the opening of

Timnah. She given to

2Sam. 11:9

him in

But Uriah

When Judah

at

people also

Num. 16:27

was grown

and

to Egypt

returned man

in

die

at

Abiram; of their

is

yet she

on

the

had

road

not

openings, but

expecting to be

all the

accused of

they

of

Joseph's house

are all

bad

and spoke with

people

from-

like Korach:

the dwellings of Korah, away Dathan, Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the

got

to

been

an opening:

went up to the steward opening to the house.

and

up,

opening of the king's house with did not go down to his house.

the

So they

veil, wrapped herself

which

marriage.

friendly

a

So they him

Some

by

Shelah

slept at the

his brothers

and

were met

Gen. 43:19

that

his lord,

servants of

theft, they

saw

put on a

Enaim,

tents, together

with their

wives, their children,

and

opening little

and their

ones.

and

Sisrah;

Judg. 4:20

He

said to

her, "Stand

comes and asks

and

the

at

the

you, 'Is anyone

opening

of the

here?'

say,

tent,

and

if anybody

'No.'"

bad Abimelech:

Judg. 9:52

Abimelech to the

opening

came to the of

tower, and fought against it, burn it with fire.

the tower to

and came near

The Book of Job also

173

in this group is:

Deut. 22:21

then

they

because

bring

shall

father's house

young woman out to the opening of her her town shall stone her to death,

the

and the men of

she committed a

disgraceful

herself in her father's house. So

act

in Israel

by

prostituting from your

you shall purge the evil

midst.

We

include Jezebel, but

can also

2Kings 11:16

The Tent

as we shall

So they laid hands on her; to the king's house, and there

Meeting, The Tabernacle,

of

see,

she

doesn't really

horses'

she went through the she was put to

and the

Court

count.

opening

death.

all

had openings, but

through them all.

we will not go

Exod. 33:9

When Moses and stand at the

entered the

opening

tent, the

of the

tent,

descend

pillar of cloud would and the

LORD

would speak with

Moses.

But then the opening fell into hard times: The dream

of openness

had

come

to an end.

ISam. 2:22

Now Eli

Israel,

was very old. He heard all that his sons were doing to all how they lay with the women who served at the entrance

and

to the tent of meeting.

Although the Tent was

of

Meeting

will

be

mentioned once more

the last time it was ever used so far as we are told. Perhaps

known from the Gen. 4:7

beginning

If sin

is

you

that this experiment in openness was not to last:

do well,

lurking

in the text, that have

we should

will you not

at the

be

accepted?

And if

you

do

not

do well,

opening; its desire is for you, but you must master

it."

First Kings Chapter

6,

verse

31

,

reads

For the opening to the inner sanctuary he doorposts were five-sided.

made

doors

of

olivewood; the lintel

and the

This is the first time the two

words

have

come together.

It is the

building

of

the temple. Art, born of the sons of Cain, has been sanctified and has sanctified many other things. The last time the Tent of Meeting was mentioned, it was to speak of the

the temple,

day

when

and so to

the

be

holy

placed

vessels were

behind

a

taken from the tent to be put into

door.

174

Interpretation

1 Kings 8:4f.

So they brought up the

holy

the

all

vessels that were

brought them who

had

in the tent;

King Solomon

up.

and all the

fear,

twice

will

in the

Israel,

him before the ark,

before him, were with not be counted many sheep and oxen that they could covenant of the Then the priests brought the ark of the

LORD to its place, in the inner sanctuary

once

of

congregation

or

so

numbered.

Only

Levites

the

priests and

the

assembled

sacrificing

holy

the tent of meeting, and

LORD,

ark of the

underneath

place,

the wings of the

it actually happen that

a

door is

they

King

be. First

ought to

in

opened

glorious and almost mythical reign of

presented as a vision of things as

house, in

of the

the most

cherubim.

joy

and without

Hezekaiah. It is

we must

to get a

try

the times.

sense of

2Chron. 29:2

He did

2Chron. 29:17

what was

began to sanctify

They

day

on the eighth

LORD;

right in the

for

then

on the

of the month

eight

and on the sixteenth

of the

not

kept it in There

2Chron. 30:26

son of

as

his

of the

first month,

house

of

Israel,

LORD,

the

people should come and

of

and

they finished.

month

make a proclamation throughout all

LORD the God

at

Israel,

keep

the

Jerusalem; for they had

great numbers as prescribed.

joy

was great

David

King

day

came to the vestibule of the

sanctified the

first

from Beer-sheba to Dan, that the passover to the

first

they

days they

day

So they decreed to

2Chron. 30:5

LORD, just

sight of the

David had done.

ancestor

of

in Jerusalem, for

since the time of

Solomon

Israel there had been nothing like this in

Jerusalem. Now

2Chron. 31:1

when all

went out

down the

to the

this was

cities of

Manasseh, Israel

and

of the

Israel

Benjamin,

Azariah,

LORD,

we

and

to

in Ephraim

individual

who was of the

have had

who were present

and

them all. Then all the people of

to their cities, all to their

him, "Since they began

spare; for the

bring

house

properties.

of

Zadok,

the contributions

into

the

have plenty to that we have this

enough to eat and

LORD has blessed his people,

so

supply left Hezekiah set to

great

2Chron. 32:5

Judah

all

broke down the pillars, hewed down the high places and the

they had destroyed

chief priest

answered

house

until

returned

The

and

sacred poles, and pulled

altars throughout all

2Chron. 31:10

finished,

Judah

over."

work resolutely and built up the entire wall that broken down, and raised towers on it, and outside it he built another wall; he also strengthened the Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance. was

All not

of

fear,

this begins when, for the

the words:

first time in the text,

we

hear

with

joy

and

The Book of Job 2Chron. 29:3

In the first

doors

The

next

time we hear those

Isa. 45:1

Thus

have

Our

verse

has felt like "I left

daring

I

of

the

the new life after the

Job

we see

his final

opened

disgrace that I

by family

my doors to the traveler

would stand

petrified,

not

the courage to stand at the opening, while providing a

with

argument of

his

to the culmination of Job's speech. The begin

is based

as we

his way

of

to risk going

This

"perversion,"

of

on

world and

disgrace."

being. His

disgrace"

"family

willingness to

beyond it indicates is here

have discussed it in the

a man

equated with

note

to 11:6. If I

correctly, Job is arguing that the feelings of

understand the grammar

guilt and

from the responsibility we have had to bear for the acts concealed, led to a terror of all that is around us. Like Lot

which stem

perversion,

fathers, if

the fear we

not

have

the city, and to

of

12. And

city.

now we

Eliphaz, Bildad, and ter 19, Job had said: will

they

are

the beginnings of the city leads us deeper and deeper

doors. We therefore

to peer beyond the

Who

door

stranger.

opening "shattered by family

that

time in the whole of the Bible that a

doors but

out of

are now quite close

the concept

other

opening?"

stand at the

the

only

sleeping

so shattered

11. We

of

of

LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I before him and strip kings of their robes, doors before him and the gates shall not be closed!

in Job is

to go out the

Here

not

beginning

the

at

an entrance.

door for the

ning

is

words

says the

no stranger

was

.

opened the

grasped to subdue nations

to open

.

his reign, in the first month, he LORD and repaired them.

of the

from Babylon:

return

.

year of

house

of the

175

But Job

have the

such a

rest of

into

stand petrified and cannot allow ourselves

now stands at

book in

our

those who

the opening.

hands. It

have

contains the speeches of

a quarrel against

Job. In

Chap

find a place that my words may be written 'down? Who will see to it inscribed in the Book. With stylus of iron and with lead incised in the

Rock forever?

The two books Job longed for have become which each

has

by implication, 13.

is

book. It is

tried to articulate the ground upon which the horizon under which

he

a

dialogue in

he stands, and, if only

stands.

"raise"

14. Here Job tion

one

seems

not possible

to be clear that a complete articulation of

except

in the

context

of a

complete

thought and hence the accusations of those who appose

his

own posi

articulation of

him.

the

176

Interpretation

These accusations, however, speeches,

over which there

actions, or,

15. As

as

we

is

be

must

still a

he

weighed

living

in

not

the

but in

controversy,

and

justice.'

Job

no

understands their position.

the ultimate value of the purely human

Such things

be

must still

Bildad's last

are a counterpart to

For them, Job is

injustice,

indeed

perspective

It is

voiced, there

16. The

doggedly now

s

his

it

perhaps

injustice,

is

his

of

he is, therefore,

and

no proof with regard

to

concerning the just and the

through

40, Job's last words,

Chapter 25.

They

state the

possible.

understandable

would

But if that understanding of the world and to misinterpret any definite act of Job's specific act of

He has

speech at the end of

an unjust man.

and

foundation,

Verses 38

open.

parameters within which mutual existence

claim that

of

his friends

of view

point

From the

concerning the true foundations of friends, Job's understanding of justice has

unjust.

Job

of

light

step."

puts it, "my every have seen, there is a disagreement between Job

an unjust man.

light the

that

they

should pro

be wrong of them not to do so. in it should lead them so

man's place

him unjustly of some how that complaint may have been

as

then regardless of

to accuse

longer be any grounds for mutual respect. tarn, which, for the sake of unity, I have rather slavishly

can no

word

"simple"

rendered as

be faced in

all

its

throughout the whole of the

translation,

and

must

complexity.

The first thing to be pointed out is its critical importance for nearly all the to be heard in the Book of Job. In that sense, at least, it binds the proem (Chapters 1 and 2) to the rest of the book. For each it is a virtue, if not the voices

highest

virtue.

other matters.

Satan, Zophar,

This

remains true no matter

Even his

how

knows that the

wife

they may disagree about issue is his TAM. Only the

much

central

the Voice in the Tempest never mention

and

it.

God 1:1

He

was a tarn and straightforward man, a

GOD-FEARING

man who

turned away from evil.

1:8

He is

a tarn and straightforward man, a

who turns

2:3

He is

away from

a tarn and straightforward man, a

turned away

from

GOD-FEARING

man and one

evil.

GOD-fearing

man and one who

evil.

Job's Wife 2:9

And his

wife said to

him, "You

are still

holding

tight to your tarn.

Eliphaz 4:6f.

But may your ways?

not

that

FEAR itself be

Think back now,

who

your

surety, and your

being innocent

was ever

hope,

the tarn of

lost?

Bildad 8:20

But surely God will neither have the hand of the evildoer.

contempt

for

a tarn man nor strengthen

Job 27:5

Even till death I

shall not turn

my tarn from

me.

111

The Book of Job Elihu

36:4

One

Although

totally

has

who

tarn

knowledge is among

in his

each praises the tarn

you.

way, it

own

is

not clear that

they

would

agree on which things are tarn and which are not.

Even the beginnings

meaning

of the word are somewhat unclear.

Its

most

rudimentary

be "finished":

seems to

1 Kings 7:22

On the tops

lily-work. Thus the

of the pillars was

work of the

pillars was tarn.

The

"finished"

has

word

the assembly line is all ished."

This

on the other

"finished"; but

it, however. A

new car

just

off

after

"finish"

that process leads to

matter whether

to

its first bad wreck, it is also "fin is felt more strongly in Hebrew than in English because is felt to be the end of a process in either case, no

antithesis

the Englsh word

duality

a certain

hand, does

excellence or

to destruction. The word tarn,

not quite contain the notion of process

it to

to hold

gether.

When that

Gen. 47:18

came to

tarn, they

year was

him the

following

year, and

hide from my lord that our money is tarn; and the herds of cattle are my lord's. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands.

him, "We

said to

From here it of excellence.

that

acquires

Think

1 Kings 6:22

of

special

inner sanctuary he

In that sense, it

came

be

2Sam. 20:18

Then

she

or of a

lamb worthy

Exod. 12:5

of

at

sheep

or

being

from

In his final song, David The God

2Sam. 22:33 be

tarn.

said,

even

human

"They

and so

used

shall

applied to

with

gold,

a

kind

fine furniture in

order

the whole altar that

that the

belonged to the

overlaid with gold.

used of

Abel';

Your lamb

be tarn;

might

it is house

overlaid the whole

house

inquire

as

implies

of the word which

meaning

"finish"

the word

Next he whole

cannot

in

be

plans:

used to

it

say in the

old

days, 'Let

them

tarn."

was

a sacrifice:

tarn a year-old male; you

may take it from the

the goats.

sings:

who

has

girded me with strength

has

set

free my

path to

Interpretation

178 if

as

in fetters

men were

which prevent them

from

being

tarn, as if the tarn were

somehow man's natural state.

This man, the man who is tarn, as we saw in the Chapter 1 1 is neither the man of the city, nor the man

long

When the boys

field,

up, Esau was a

was a tarn

"innocent,"

being

either

But of

because

one

is

a certain man

Israel

.

.

man,

in the

unaware of certain critical

1 Kings 22:34

or

grew

Jacob

while

can also mean

while

the man

in tents.

Gen. 25:27

It

at the end of

field, but

of the

,

living

note

skillful

in

living

sense of

a

hunter,

a man of the

tent.

having

committed a crime

facts:

drew his bow

in his

and

tarn struck the

king

.

not capable of suspicion.

Gen. 20:5f.

"Did he

not

himself say to me, 'She is my

sister'?

And

she

herself said, 'He is my brother.' I did this in the tarn of my heart and hands." the innocence of my Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that you did this in the tarn of your heart; furthermore

it

was

let It is

from

also used

I

who

you touch

kept

you

from sinning

to describe the individual

Therefore I did

individual

virtue of an

whatever virtue might give excellence as a

Gen. 6:9

against me.

not

her.

founder

or

man apart

leader:

These are the descendants of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, tarn in his generation; Noah walked with God. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to

Gen. 17:1

Abram,

and said to

him, "I

am

God

Almighty;

walk

before me,

and

be

tarn.

In

answer

to Bildad's

Job 8:20

statement:

But surely God will neither have contempt for hand of the evildoer.

a tarn man nor

strengthen the

Job

says:

Job 9:20ff.

I

am tarn

but He

will show me perverse.

have only contempt for my life. guilty He destroys all.

I

care and or

For Job, "the

twisted"

is the only time the

'aqaSh

.

.

.

am

tarn

but I

no

Therefore I say

longer

that tarn

emerges as the prime opposite of the tarn

word occurs

in the text,

and seems to

be

a more

This

forceful

The Book of Job for the term, 'aven, bent,

substitute

have been translating

the word we

179

as

"per

verse."

Prov. 10:9

Whoever

('aqash) Prov. 28:18

One

who walks

('aqash) What

appears

appear as

"the

walks

ways will

ways will

to be tarn

twisted"

in

tarn walks securely,

be found in

but

whoever

follows

twisted

out.

tarn will

be saved, but

whoever

follows

twisted

fall into the Pit.

from Job's human

from the divine

perspective

perspective.

And

yet

seems

Job

sees

to him to

his

tarn as

his only way to justice. 31:6-8

Let Him

weigh me on the scales of

my tarn. If my step has eyes, or a taint stuck

my crop be uprooted. Even till death I shall

27:05

justice,

God

and then

will

know

of

from the way, my heart gone after my to my hand, then let me sow, but another eat, or let wandered

not turn

my

tarn

The ambiguity inherent in the tarn may be

from

seen

me.

by

comparing Eliphaz's

statement:

4:6f.

But may your ways?

with

not

that FEAR itself be your surety, and your

Think back now,

whoever

being

innocent

hope,

was ever

the tarn of

lost?

Job's

12:4

But God

Is the tarn

now

and

I have become

have him

related

a

answer'

to Eliphaz's

joke to my friends, one who joke, a tarn, innocent joke!

would

'Call

on

-a

simple acceptance or to

Job's

simple ques

tion? The one looks to the other as a joke. And now Job's whole speech has

been

called tarn.

The Book

of

Translation

and

Job

Commentary

on

Chapters 32 through 38

Robert D. Sacks St. John 's College, Santa Fe

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

1 Now, the three 2 But

eyes.

Elihu1

considered

himself

more

just than God. 3 And his

anger

his three friends because they could find no answer but merely Job. 4 Now Elihu held back his words and waited for Job, because

against

condemned

they

reply to Job because he was right in his own Ram3 of the House of was angry at Job;

Barachel,2

the son of

he"

fuming, because burned

men ceased to

than he was. 5

were all older

from the

6 Then Elihu

But,

when

son

of

Barachel the

Buzite6

young in years, and you are most venerable, to declare my thoughts in front of you. 7 I

a

breath

great who are

saw

that no answer came him.5

answered

and so

I

and

shrunk

said to myself

said:

back

"I

and

'Let the

am

but

FEARED

generations

8 But surely there is a spirit in him understanding. 9 It is not the

wisdom.'

speak, and fullness mortals,

Elihu

these three men, anger burned within

mouths of

of years proclaim

of the

wise,

nor

Almighty is it the

that gives

judgment.7

elders who understand thoughts.'

11 I 10 Thus, I say unto you, 'Hear me. I myself shall declare my have waited in expectation for your words and listened for your understanding while you searched for something to say. 12 I observed you carefully and there was none

to confute Job nor was there an answer to his assertions from any of

you.8

saying We have found wisdom; God will defeat him not 14 Now, he has set out no words against me and I shall not reply using your reasonings, 15 for they have been shattered, and can no longer reply. All mean

13 Beware

ing'0

has left

16 I

man.9

of

them."

waited

in

expectation

till

they had finished I

speaking, till

they

stood and

the matter. I myself

longer reply. 17 But my in my belly declare my thoughts. 18 I am full of words, and the presses upon me; 19 my belly is like wine that has no vent, like jugs of new now

could no

shall give

side of

wind12

shall

ready to burst; 20 I shall speak, and it will expand me; I shall open my lips and reply. 21 I will show no favor or flatter any man ('adam); for I know wine

off."

no

flattery. 22 Or may my The first thirty-one

bers 2

and

3,

and

maker soon

chapters of

and

future issue.

Spring 1998,

me

the translation and commentary appeared

Volume 25, Numbers 1

interpretation,

carry

Vol. 25, No. 3

2

of

in Volume 24, Num will appear in a

Interpretation. The balance

294

Interpretation

Comments

1. There is something

mysterious about the sudden appearance of this man,

mystery only increase as internal problems of the same many and the

we read on.

will

As

sort to account

passage was added as a whole without much regard

2. Otherwise 3. Given the

descendent at

least

of

other

3

Ram the

son of

not

and

6. Let

us

for the

see, there are too

assuming the

by

greater context.

is naturally led to assume that Elihu is a Hezron. This would place him as either part of or

cases, the

perfectly 5. Literally, "and his

verse

them

unknown.

close to the royal

4. It is

we shall

for

line

reader

of the

clear who

House

the

David.

of

antecedent

fuming."

nose was

is.

This is the

same expression used

is commonly, though not exclusively, used look once more at the tree of generations

of

in

God.

TERACH I Sarah

-

Haran

-

-Abraham

-Katura

Shua

Lot Milkah

Nahor-

I Bethual I I Isaak-

I Uz

Buz

1

-Rebekah

Laban I

Esau

Jakob

Leah

-

Eliphaz

Judah

I

Perez

Taman

Hezron Ram Aminadab

Nahshon

Salmon Boaz

Eliphaz

Bildad

Job

Obad

Barachel I

Jesse

Elihu?

David Barachel I

Elihu?

Iskah

295

The Book of Job As

in

Judah,

David.

fact,

something misleading about the genealogy of Elihu first introduced to him, we were told that he

was

2. When

verse

we were

the House of Ram. We then naturally inferred that he was a descendant

was of of

see, there

we can

as given

hence

and

According

part

brother

7. One

and authority.

help being

mild, but he

respectful and

be

initially by

moved

to speak

speaks of the

feels in rising

feels strongly that he must speak 8. Again he presents himself others.

Ram,

unknown

also seems

Several times he

elders, and the FEAR he

listen to

the House of

line,

royal

descendant

a

is, in

Buz,

of

the

Uz.

of

cannot

to, the

close

this turns out to be deceptive. He

6, however,

the progeny of some otherwise

younger

can

least

or at

of,

to verse

this young man. He seems with an air of

deference he is

understanding to pay to his

wont

Nonetheless, he

to speak among them.

out.

as

young man who was willing to deserved to be heard before he

a patient

He implies that Job's

arguments

answered.

9. This

sentence

is

the grammer

is

Greenberg

ambiguous.

have found the

wise

translation may

help:

"[Lest] [you

to

somewhat critical to our attempt

course; God

say] [we have

translates:

"I fear that

defeat him

will

Elihu, but

understand

you will

man.'"

A

not

found] [wisdom] [God]

say 'We literal

more

[will defeat

him] [not]

[man]."

Since Hebrew does

not use quotation

we are

marks,

left

with

two possible

readings:

"Lest

you

say, 'We have found

"Lest

you

say, 'We have found

It's hard, if

not

wisdom:

man.'"

defeat him

will

not man."

wisdom,'

God

for

to know

impossible,

God

will

defeat him

not

certain either way.

The first reading would mean that the others wrongfully claim to have found a certain wisdom, and that their wisdom consists of the will

defeat him,

believing be

a

they have found

10.

is

human

or

understanding.

attempt

to his questions

The

three of

other

which

is

available

his speech, then,

remainder of

to answer Job.

interpretation, he is accusing them of believing that wisdom with which they can defeat Job, whereas in

a certain

defeat him

will

we can

man."

If this is how the

not

spoken with more

verse

is

to

be

remainder of

his

his piety, like Job, does

not

be asserting that the than human authority.

only take him to

"words"

1 1. As share the

we

began to

horizons

of

see

in

verse

judgment."

him, too,

an older world "spirit"

or

9, Elihu, in

the fathers: "It is

elders who understand

12.

Job

knowledge that "God

Elihu is accusing the

to the second

fact only "God understood,

other words

no answer to

purely human

According

speech

In

that there is

the realm of

within will

man."

not

The

not

spite of

the great who are wise, nor

words

"no

has been shattered, but

longer"

as yet we

seem

do

not

to

imply

is it the that

know the

for

cause.

296

Interpretation

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

1 "Attend my words, Job. Listen well to each utterance that I make. 2 Be hold, I open my lips, and the tongue in my palate begins to speak. 3 My speech is

heart. The thoughts

an upright

God has

made

me,

5 Answer me, if

6 Here I am, just from clay, 7

8 Oh,

have

before God,1

it into my ear,

spoken

'free

of

10 'He finds

me,'8

11 'He

puts

4 The

spirit of

life.

me and

take your stand.

though I too was nor

you,

does the

nipped2

pressure

I

heavily.3

too

pure,'5

am

sion about enemy.'10

your case out

gives me

and terror of me will not overwhelm

you

9 T

speak with clarity.

Almighty

of the

wished, standing in for

as you

put upon you weigh

word.4

Lay

you can.

my lips

of

breath

and the

to oppose

ways

my feet in the

I

and

transgression,'6

stocks."1

T

hear the

still

clean,'7

am

me,'9

'He

and

sound of each

'There is

'He thinks

scrutinizes

no perver

his

of me as

my every

wander

ing."2

12 But in this

you

13

than any mortal.

have

Why

not acted

do

justly. I

you vie with

will answer

Him? He is

you, for God is greater

not obliged

to answer on

15 It every count. 14 Yet God may speak once, even twice, but none take the when falls upon be in a or in a vision of night, dream, heavy may sleep beds.14 mortals as they slumber in their note.13

16 He

unveils the ears of mortals and places

17 to turn (gebher)}%

by

('adam) away from

man

He

will

his

keep

soul

action and

His

seal upon

conceal16

back from the pit,

and

their

pride

discipline,15

from the

man

his life from perishing

sword.17

the

20 his bones ceaselessly twist in food.19 His life renders his bread loathsome, and his soul takes no delight in fine 21 His flesh is devoured, no longer to be seen, and his bones are ground away 19 He is tried

and

disappear.20

by

in his bed

pain

22 His

soul

[all that] brings death.21. 23 If there only were

near

to the Muck and his life is

messenger,22

for

an

him,24

interpreter23

24 he

one

in

a

[attracted]

to

thousand, to

have mercy on him and (ladam) 'Redeem25 him from descending into the Muck, for I have found his ran 25 'Let his flesh become brighter than youth, and let him return to his

tell man say:

is

a

draws

strife.18

and

what

right

would

som.'26

days.'

springtime

26 Let him but face27

supplicate unto

with shouts of

joy, for He

God

and

shall return

he

shall

be

accepted and see

to mortal man his sense of

His

right

27 Let him only stand squarely in front of mortals and say, T have I have dealt perversely with what was right, and my accounts have not sinned; been 28 Thus He shall redeem his soul from passing into the Muck; eousness.

settled.'

and

his life

shall see

29 Yes, God

30

to

31

will

in the do

all

light.28

these things two or three times for a man

(gebher),

bring his soul back from the Muck to be made bright by the light of life. Pay heed, Job, and hear me; be silent and I will speak. 32 If you have the

The Book of Job

Well,

words, respond to me.

have nothing, then listen to

for I

speak!

Be

me.

wish

I

silent and

justify

to

297

33 But, if

you.

you

wisdom."29

will teach you

Comments 1. hen 'ani kephikha f'el before God

Greenberg

translates:

"You

I

and

are

the same

"

The Revised Standard translates: "Behold, I am towards God as The King James translates: "Behold, I am, according to thy wish in

are."

you

God's

stead."

It is

is

clear that this

Elihu is, be. It is

least

or at

also a

means

claims to

passage to

root ph

but its

or

our attempt to understand who

and perhaps even

believes himself to

by

understand, as you can tell

the vast

lies in the meaning of the word The initial (ke) primarily

"mouth."

from the

"as,"

meaning

vary greatly in individual cases. For means The final (kf'a)

affect can

"which"

"that"; but

instance,

'asher means

ending is

a second personal ending.

objective;

when attached to nouns

mean when

be

the translations. The problem

come

"like"

in

a critical passage

he

very difficult

discrepancies in (kephikha). It

who

or

When it is

"

"when."

attached to verbs or prepositions

possessive.

The

is

problem

what

it is

they

strung out together. The word kephi usually means something like but looking at several examples may help:

to,"

"according

to"

Exod. 28:32

Each morning let each man gather "according woven work "like/after the fashion of a coat of

Lev. 25:53

"In

Num. 7:5

Each

man

Num. 35:8

Each

man

Zech. 2:4

These

Exod. 16:21

with"

his

accordance

to"

"according "according

are the

horns

to"

years

let him

his

work.

his

share.

which scattered

his

eating.

mail.

repay.

Judah, "so

that"

no man could

lift his head. Therefore I

Mai. 2:9

also

have

made you contemptible and that"

the

IChron. 12:23

"since/according

people

And these came to

are

As

we can

Each

see, the

comes to

having

provides

a pattern

number of

you

the

bands

have

to the word of the to"

man

"according

his

not

of

Saul

over to

him

Lord.

"the

as."

same

The

is in Exodus 28:32, but even there totally different kind of thing. In all

that meaning a

all

ways.

work.

expression never means

for

base before kept my

of the armed troops who

David in Hebron to turn the kingdom

"according 2Chron. 31:2

the

to

to."

closest

one

it

ever

thing only

other cases

it

is only one other means "proportion Unfortunately, "according instance in which the object is a thinking, speaking being, IChronicIes 12:23, to"

there

or

words."

clearly means "according to His le is the first / in 'el. In general, it is look at to

and there the expression

The English

next part

"to."

word

Strictly

speaking, Hebrew

has

no

equivalent

independent

word

to the

for

"be-

298

Interpretation

come."

Thus ha'iti

king,"

to

was

the verse, hen

words of

I."

neni, mean "here am such

When

ha'

king"; but

id fmelech

"I

means

king."

'ani, usually

f

,

hinone word

into

collapsed

together with the

put

le '

hinnenu

as

was

simply "I became

or more

The first

"I

melech means

finds

one

expressions

you"

"we have become

abhdechah,

slaves

(Genesis

to

50:18). 2.

"Nipped"

is

I

a good word which

confess to

have

"nipped"

from Green

berg. 3. For Elihu, Job is sphere of

human

right.

The

cognition can

the

anguished perplexities that arise within

find for

from

themselves no solution

its

within

border. For him, too, there is a great world out there beyond the human realm. He has already rejected Bildad's Wisdom of the Fathers, own

It is

Job 32:9

is it

the great who are wise, nor

not

the elders who

understand

judgment.

And he has

seen

32:14

the

inadequacy

Now, he has your

of the

human horizon.

set out no words against me and

reasonings, for

they have been

shattered,

I

shall not

and can no

reply using longer reply. All

meaning has left them.

And

he believes he

so

of the

Job 9:34f.

why Job has felt himself drawn to the Chapter 9, Job had said

as

But let Him

his

turn

His terror, then I I

world

understands

Jackal. As early

rod

away from

me and not

would speak out without

FEAR

frighten

of

me with

Him; for in

myself

am none of these things.

and again

Job 13:1 9f

Now,

.

things

as things are

for

me and

I

Your hand from me,

I

can

shall no and

let

only remain silent and perish. But do two longer be hid from your face. Remove not

Your terror frighten

me.

At the heart cannot

of Elihu's understanding of man is the notion that Job's request be fulfilled. Man has not the stamina to face what lies beyond his own

horizons. He the

offers

himself

as one

who,

human sphere,

can

listen to Job's

beyond,

nor

is there

cannot go

4. There is something

directly

to

existence.

him, We

been there from the been saying in

eerie about

and yet there

are not

need

from

beginning

he

that

Job

do

not

arrived and

or not.

way, and

of the

terrors that lie beyond

within the

human

sphere.

any longer. this line. Elihu insists that Job had

is little indication

told when

a rough

knowing

case

He

even seems to

yet most of

his

spoken

was even aware of

know

whether

know

quotations are

what

just

a

Job

his

he had Job has

bit

off.

299

The Book of Job 5. Not found

as

6. Not found

as such.

7. Not found

as such.

8. Not found

as

9. Not found

as such.

such, but

such, but

cf.

8:6, 11:4, 16:17.

cf.

13:26.

10. 13:24 11. 13:27 12. 13.27 13. With

a view to what will

how the

to remind ourselves of

lated "to take a

thing is to

note of allow

up to this

it to become

thing is

note of a person or a

Job 7:8

The and

Job 17:13-15

I

said

in the has

author

a part of our

to

the word that

In general, "to take

point.

not

note, it

following

used

be

wise

have trans

note of a person or

hence,

world, and,

it to become

allow

might

we

"to take

not

a part of our world.

eye that sees me takes no note of me; your eye

is

upon

me,

am not.

If I in

be

must take the

darkness;

Pit to be my home, and spread 'Thou art my

'Mother'

'Sister'

my

couch

and call out

Oh my hopes,

to the maggots,

and

out

Father'

call out to the muck

who will

ever take note of them?

Job 20:9

The

eyes that observed

note of

Job 24:15

An

him in his me"

14. There

That

contact

daily

and

Yet God may

is, for Elihu,

o'er;

they

no

to

longer take

twilight, saying; "No his face.

conceals

speak once, even

which we can

twice, but

has

with

take

take note.

none

the realm beyond man.

see, and yet not "take

note."

keep

those things we would

perceive all

eye will

There

distant from

lives.

Zophar had already Job 20:7-9

own

him have

Exod. 33:20f.

out:

dung

he

"Where is

will ask

find him. He

we shall

it

spelled

like his him

As

he

one contact that man

is sleep; sleep in

we can allow ourselves

our

given

adulterous eye watches at

note of

Job 33:14

him have

place.

recedes

given

o'er;

like

live."

and

be lost in

He flies

no

longer take

thinking

will put you until

Even those

dream The

note of

of what

is

eyes that observed

him in his

said

in

a cleft of the

I have

you shall see

passed

by;

rock; and

while

then I will take

one shall see me a place

my glory

by

passes

me

by

you with

my

away my hand, be

and

seen."

shall not

place.

in the Torah:

rock, and I will cover

my back; but my face

who see

and no one can

he said, "you cannot see my face, for no And the LORD continued, "See, there is

where you shall stand on the

hand

eternity.

off as a

a vision of the night.

they

see, Elihu is not only "But,"

will

he?"

I

300

Interpretation

and

And he said, "Hear my words: When there are prophets among you, I the LORD make myself known to them in visions; I speak to

Num. 12:6f.

in dreams. Not

them all

so with

servant

my

Moses; he is

my house. With him I speak face to face he beholds the form of the LORD. Why

and

Job 7:13-15

Job's

mind

clearly, not in riddles; then were you not afraid

Moses?"

to speak against my servant

Primarily he has in

entrusted with

own statement:

When I said that my bed will show me compassion and my couch bear my complaint, You frightened me with dreams and terrified me with visions and I preferred strangulation and death to my own substance.

Job has already been where he wishes to go in the only way in he has seen for himself that it is no place for waking man.

which

he can,

and

Job is

unjust

because he judges in terms

of

his

Lev. 26:22f.

I

will

let loose

wild animals against

destroy

you of your children and

few in number,

discipline,

you

me, then I too sevenfold

16. "covered 17.

for

and your roads shall

have

not meant

realm of

they

livestock; they

be deserted. If in

back to me, but

hostile to

you:

I

shall

bereave

shall make you spite of this

continue

hostile to

myself will strike you

your sins.

vague

human ken

but to

warn.

intimations

of the

frightful Pit

the Muck. Irrational fear is

It is

to the edge of the pit

us

turned

you, and

never enter.

over"

to punish

has brought

not

will continue

Man, for Elihu, has only

beyond the

your

things that can

own world

only be fairly judged in terms of a world into which he can 15. An act intended to teach, but usually implying force:

18. Job knows this only too well, 7:13-15 cited in note 14.

our we

only way of do not see.

as we

have

seen

knowing in the

that

that our conceit

quotation

from Job

19. And this:

Job 6:7

They

20. And this

Job 30:17

are

like

a contagion

in my

daily

bread.

as well:

By ceases.

night

my bones

are whittled away, and the

lies

God's signpost,

gnawing

never

The Book of Job And more

Job

yet

Job 9:20

He knows this

continues.

complicated,

and

feelings

Though I

am

just my

too well. But for

all

do

of guilt

not of

themselves

Job,

301

the world

imply

is

guilt:

own mouth would condemn me.

21. This seems to be at the heart of Elihu's conviction that man must be kept from peering beyond his own horizon. The human fear of what is beyond the human is a divine gift. The fear of death is a divine rectification of the fascina tion that the human soul

feels for death. So

much

he says, but he does

not

elaborate at this point.

22. Or

"angel"

or some

23. The

has two

word

sense of one who

kind

of one

who

intelligible to

Gen. 42:23

They with

2Chron. 32:31

It

did

live

also

speak two

different horizons,

different lan the

and makes

the other.

not

know that Joseph

in the

officials of

people who

under

them through an

So

can mean

between two

stands

guages, and to that extent thoughts

divine being. See 1:14, 4:18, and 33:2. interpreter," "an in the simple

of more

meanings.

matter of the

Babylon,

understood

them,

since

he

spoke

interpreter.

who

interpreter (or envoys) of the sent to him to inquire about

had been

the

had been done in the land, God left him to himself, in to test him and to know all that was in his heart.

sign that order

Its

by far, however,

more regular

meaning

Isa. 28:22

Now therefore do

for I have heard upon

Various best I

can

Isa. 43:27

not

decree

scoff, or of

scoff:

your

bonds

destruction from

will

the

be

made

stronger;

Lord GOD

of

hosts

the whole land.

attempts

do is to

a

is "to

have been

quote

made

to understand how the two are related. The

Isaiah:

Your first

ancestor

sinned, and your interpreters transgressed against

me.

Job 16:20,

a

on the other

hand,

seems to require

Oh my advocates, my friends, my eyes weep before God. Will no one MAN (gebher) before God as a man ('adam) should do for a friend?

in the

perhaps

sense of those

that can make

For Elihu, Job is right, the human

highest He

something like

court.

must

Job's

be "an

"advocate,"

his

his

case

intelligible to

voice cannot make

"friend,"

cannot

interpreter,"

one who can stand

be just

argue

for

others.

itself heard in the a man

between God

like himsellf.

and man.

Interpretation

302

24. Greenberg's translation: "To declare the

seems

man's

less

man,"

rather than "to a

man"

likely

because it takes f'adam to

which

is

a

bit

strange after

the

"for the

mean

"to tell"; but

word

it is

still

not

impossible.

25. When Pharaoh stubbornly

Exod. 13:15

the

all

firstborn in the land

firstborn that

Like Israel, the

being,

by

first

of

whole of mankind

to let

go, the LORD killed

us

Egypt, from human firstborn

Therefore I

lies in debt for the

of

one richer than

man, it

to

and

will all soon

sons

my

I

conditions of

does

not the means to pay. Man

debt that they have world. It is not his to inquire into

to the

to the LORD every male

sacrifice

but every firstborn

opens the womb,

a

surface

for

of animals.

refused

enlarge

redeem.

their own

not

the

own

its borders. If

not paid

turn itself into Muck.

26. Cf. For I

Isa. 43:3

Egypt

give

27. This world

the home of note

as your ransom,

the

Ethiopia

would conquer all

world of man.

joyous

God,

Holy

and

One

Israel,

of

Seba in

And

You

ps. 74:14

you.

the frightful things that live in the

The terrible face

of

God

would now

on

that

day

crushed

.

the

.

the

head

Lord

of the

shall punish the

Leviathan

become

Leviathan.

and gave

it

as

would stand where

accepting the

to 11:6. Job's old

he

before

could not stand

"perversion"

29. Job has

be

as

notion of

hopes,

ultimate account of soul will

food to

the

the island.

and

laugh

where there was

only horror because the horror would have been banished. 28. Job, for his part, has only to confess to a sin that by its not and cannot know that he has committed. Primarily, as Elihu

any but his

for

man.

people of

means

Savior. I

your

exchange

to 3:8.

Isa. 27:1

Job

the LORD your

"interpreter"

beyond the

See

am

that the

things,

human

will still

redeemed and pass

it

was

all

he does out, this

discussed in that

perspective

"be

nature points

has

a

long

legitimate

heaped together in the

note

place

in

Muck,"

beyond it.

no answer and remains silent.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

1 Then Elihu me,

all you who

choose1

us

for

answered and said:

know, 3 for

2 "Hear my

words ye wise

men; give ear to

the ear tests words as the palate tastes

ourselves what

is

lawful2

so that we

food. 4 Let

may know among ourselves

303

The Book of Job is

what

aside all and

5 Now Job has said; T

good.

claims

my 'The arrow

(gebher) is

for

justice,'4

there like Job who

was

'.

company For he has said, 'It is 10 And so, you

as

if it

has thrown

who

me'5

made against

7 What

man

8 joins

water,7

were

with mortal men of evil?

9

favor.'8

to a man (gebher) that he be in GOD's heart, hear me; far be God from injustice and the 11 As a man (ladam) labors so shall he be recompensed, of no use

men9

from

God

transgression.6

without

drinks up mockery

that

.

judgment

the

those who deal in wickedness and walks

with

Almighty

and

6 T declare false

mortal, though I

was

right'3

am

evil.

of

and wherever a man

wanders, that is where he will find himself. 12 Now surely,

God does

wickedess, nor does the

not cause

13 Who laid Him the and

Him to

charge upon

fruitful

whole of this

care

14 If He

orb?

His breath back into Himself, 15

would return

sound of

my

such

words.

thing

a

flesh

to, he

judgment

Or

aside.

who placed upon

His

could gather

would perish and man

spirit

('adam)

17 Shall

understanding, listen to this. Attend to the

as

even

he that hates judgment bind

One, 18 He

the Magnificent Just

worthless,'

or

cared

turn

earth?

dust.10

to

16 If there is condemn12

all

Almighty

for the

to the nobles, 'You are guilty

who can

say to

Would

up?"

'You

king

a

men,'

19

who shows no

you are

favor to

any liege, or recognizes the prince above the pauper, since they are the works of His hand, every 20 They can die in a moment; the people tremble at midnight, and pass on. one?13

The mighty

turned aside, but

are

the ways of man, and He there

is

has He

Shadow

no

of

shatters

no

it to

[human] hand, 21 for His

his every

Death for the

ever yet accorded

24 He

by

watches

22 There is

steps.

the magnificent, no

to

worker of wickedness

that he go with

man

knowing

God into

how many,

darkness

and

hide in, 23

nor

judgment.14

and sets others

up in

25 Surely, He can recognize their deeds; Everything 26 He slaps them down along with the guilty in full view they all 27 because they turned away from Him and do not comprehend His 28 turns to night,

their place.

are crushed.

and of

eyes are upon

no

ways of needy.15

face,

bringing 29 But,

the cries of the poor unto

He is silent,

when

note16

who will even take

Himself; for He hears If He

who can condemn?

Him, be it

of

a nation or

the cry of the

should

be it

hide His

a single man

(Warn)?17

30

Mankind18

31 For he has have

not

34

not payment

is

Men21

'Job has

polluted

God T

you must

heart,

of

by kingship,

will

seen, teach me. If I have

33 Should tempt? It

has been

said unto

for it be

bear it

done injustice, I

every

you

(gebher)

because

know then, who

37 He

God."

speaks against

transgression,

32 What I

no

had

longer."9

such con

speak!

listen to

lack

adds sin upon

in it

you

say 35 May Job's

me will

insight.'

knowledge, and his words limit, because his answers are no different from

of wickedness.

continually

of you

wise man

spoken without

trials know no

shall persist

required20

answer, not I. Whatever and

those who ensnare the people.

all and offend no more.

36

men"

those of the

slaps us

in the face,

and

Interpretation

304

Comments

1. It is

to note that Elihu

interesting

of choice rather than

in terms

speaks

inquiry.

2.

mishpath

3. "I

Not found

right."

am

But

Job 9:15

plead

as such.

even though

I

But

9:15

in the right

am

still

and

I

10:15:

do it. Yet I

cannot

must

what seems to me just.

for

Well, if I have been guilty

Job 10:15

see

right I have been

is mine, but

the grief

so sated with reproach that no

even when

feeling

of

I

am

honor is left

in me.

4. Job 27:2

By justice,

life

the

of

5. Not found

as such.

6. Not found

as such.

But

And thus I

Job 6:3f.

that

Almighty

the

upon me and

God has

who

thrown aside all

my

[my

claims

for]

soul!

see:

speak without spirit

my

has

embittered

care, for the

drinks in their

arrows of

the

Almighty

are

venom.

as it shows up from the time Job's friends is markedly different from the connotations discussed them in the note to 12:11.

"drinking"

7. The appear

significance of

till the

end of

Elihu's

"tasting"

of

as we

the word

The

complete

Job 6:2-4 all

list

of quotations

Almighty And

And thus I

what of

Let his cruet of

speak without

me and

that

my

spirit

care, for the

drinks in

arrows of

the

venom."

their

one, man, who drinks up

abhorred and corrupted

water!

eyes see

his

own ruin and

let him drink

of the

Almighty's

fury.

What

Job 34:7

in

are

injustice like

Job 21:20

is:

"Would that my indignation could truly be weighed, my calamities laid out together on a scale! then would it raise up even the sands

of the seas.

Job 15:16

speech

man

(gebher) is

there

like Job

who

drinks up mockery

as

if it

were water?

In this

section of the

book,

"drinking"

implies

greedily, the uglinesses of the outside world. For

coming to terms of

with

them.

succumbing to them.

But for Eliphaz

and

a

taking into

oneself, even

Job it is the first step in for Elihu it is only a final way

The Book of Job 8. Not found

deal in

first

guilt

sound

like

has known that way the

so

far

began,

very 9.

much.

and

association, is

he

as

could

thoughtless

indeed. For

serious

tell, he men

Job knows that he has

the

was

have

Job "joins company while it may at

charge that

wickedness and walks with men of

by

questions that

time

Nonetheless, Elihu's

as such.

with those who

first

man

evil,"

a

long

time now Job

to ask in a searching

in thoughtless

raised

305

ways since

the difference counts

no proof that

for

"mortal"

10. Job's

view

man, Elihu argues, presupposes

of

independent

an

world

obeying its own laws and following its own nature. It assumes a world that has been placed into God's hands for safekeeping and to which He therefore has certain of

duties

But there is

and obligations.

no such world.

the world is an expression of His spirit. For

would

be

as

if

dreams. With been

given

1 1 One .

we

to him can

which the word

Job 5:18

had been hauled into to

respect

by

best

God,

see what

has been for He

man

hand

the

of

has

man

to

The

whole structure

demand justice from God

by a character in one of our own being apart from the part that has

court no

God.

Elihu

by

means

considering the

other passages

in

used:

causes pain,

but He binds up, He wounds, but His hands

heal. Job 28:11

He binds up the

Elihu purposely uses 12. Literally, "find

rivers

flowing

a word that can

have

and the

hidden things

come to

light.

either a violent or gentle meaning.

guilty"

13. Job does ill to

establish his understanding of justice by considering it as itself purely from within the human prospective. This, argues Elihu, is true for two reasons. True justice requires the notion of equality before the law.

it

reveals

But that equality only becomes visible when all men are seen as equally deriva tive from that which is beyond man. Men are equal because they are all equally the work of the hand of God, and God is equally above all. That also implies a mutual recognition of men as such.

from beyond.

the limitations of the human sphere

For Elihu, both the judge

Equality before

only if that equality has

and the standard

the law is compatible

a prepolitical

apply to all of judgment must come which

with structured political

foundation, but that

world

is

life to

closed

man.

14. Although there Elihu is trying to

direct quotations, it is

are no

himself to

address

what

Job

clear that

in these

verses

sees as the most serious of

his

charges:

Job 7:12

Am I the

Job 14:13

Who

sea or some monster that

can move

anger passes?

Set

You to hide

me a

me

fixed limit

in

You

the

set watch over me?

Pit

and conceal me till your

and remember me.

Interpretation

306

Then

Job 14: 16

longer

no

the watch

for my

would

You

keep

my every step,

track of

or

be

on

sin.

God precisely where Job had questioned. If divine justice were to model itself after human justice, as Job implies, it would leave itself open to justice. Its all the wrangling, loopholes, and ambiguities that mark human Elihu

praises

force

whole

in its unknown,

resides

and

hence

15. Human justice is inadequate to deal cannot reveal show

to

men

imply it

to be seen as sinful

16. The

word

I

be

human misdoing because it actions. It can at best

Oh my hopes, The

him in his

17. I believe that

by

"If He

disguise themselves

held to account,

as

injustice, I

or

indeed any

acknowledging this debt, dren. See note to 11:6. 20. Others translate "as "from-with-you."

acts

o'er;

face"

upon me, and

they

no

longer take

he

means

that the acts of

He may be implying that at of its force, but it is not clear.

part

as we

(Deut.

one can also

find

have been

become

seen

or

the

knowing

to be

within the political

can

case of the

do

its

own

expiation

Egyptian

chil

something like it. Literally, the word in such contexts as "What does the

"I

and

it

him"

of

my kingdom

(Deut. 18:10), but

are guiltless

own sense of the passage as a whole seems

Deuteronomy 18:10,

decide for himself.

it. The

we are still

appears

passages such as

in

from

individual

in the

will require

My

Elihu,

Human justice is

regime, in order to establish

Only

fit"

visible

"I

with the usage

"mortal"

have

you see

10:12)

longer."

no

unjust without

or

(2Sam 3:28).

"mortal"

in it

which, according to

political

you?"

ask of

22.

is

shall persist

It usually

means

21.

is

said.

of chance.

must neglect all prior claims.

by

the reader

given

hide His

are not and can never

horizon. Kingship,

better

him have

should

fundamentally flawed; a man may perversions of the fathers, those for

Lord"

that the weak as

he had

of much of what

is

('adam)

19. "If I have done

legitimacy,

clear

an act

sphere of

place.

unknown source of retribution

man

If

who will ever take note of them?

eyes that observed

note of

18.

Job

remind

strongest.

beyond the

that sees me takes no note of me; your eye

eye

Job 20:9

can

an order

am not.

Job 17:15

times the

the rule of the

more than

seen as

violating in that way can it become

Only

is intended to

The

Job 7:8

nothing

must

merely human concern. weak are heard.

Lord

with

the cosmic significance of their

that one or more other human beings object to the act, which would, of

course, ultimately

God

unquestionable character.

but in the

main

before

the

to go along

I have tried to

help

307

The Book of Job CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

1 Then Elihu to say all

'My

benefit

this

your

heavens have

you?

you

words,

is

how

How

and

I better

am

off

it,3

to it? What could it gain from your hand? yourself, and

9 Under arms:

none

11

who

birds

than the

is for

say 'How does 4 I will answer

above you

you

multiply

your

transgres

righteous, what would

8 Your

sons of man

fall

evils4

you add

like

upon men

('adam).5

scream to be saved from mighty the one who makes songs in 'Where is God maker, say my teaches us more than the beasts of the earth; and makes us

great oppression

10 but

the night; wiser

your righteousness

if

you were

be judgment?

5 Just look up into the it is. 6 If you

how high

and even

sions, how could you affect it? 7 Or if

think to

or when you

with you.

nebula,2

could you perturb

3

than if I had sinned'?

friends along

note of the

what you

God's?"

greater than

your

Take

and see.

sinned

2 "Is that

answered and said:

righteousness

they cry out; they

sky.'6

of the

12 There they cry out, but He gives no answer to the majestic pride of evil 13 Oh vanity; God will not listen, nor will the Almighty take note. 14

men.

Particularly before Him present

for Him

and

He does

Job, futility

have

since you

writhe7

you must

His anger, he

not exert

pours

said that you yourself take no note.

from his

foolishly

He

mouth.

[in

grows

Yet the

15 But

uncertainty].8

misunderstands.

heavy

since

for the as

for

has

no

16 And

with words and

is

case

comprehension."

Comments

1. Not found

2. The

as such.

notion of

"the

nebula"

is

somewhat complicated

for Elihu. See

note

to Job 36:28. "Him"

3. Others translate

doing

throughout, but there

seems

to me no reason for

so.

4. Literally,

[acts]"

"guilty

5. For Elihu the human

concerns.

is

The

dangerously lowing himself to

is wholly indifferent to the fate of man and to that Job felt into a realm larger than the human realm

cosmos pull

misdirected.

become

In

flirting

enmeshed

with

in

the

a world

world of

in

the

Jackal, Job is "justice"

which

the

word

al

is

a

mute sound which symbolizes nothing.

6. Job had

Job 10:3-4

said:

Does it

seem good to

for the toil Have You

You that You oppress, that You have

of your own eyes of

flesh?

hand, but '

contempt

shine upon the counsel of the

guilty

308

Interpretation

But he human nence

is

know

cannot

what

is. Those

oppression

beyond the

wonder

who

realm cannot marvel at the night songs of nature, or at man's preemi

among the

be found there. To

creatures to

man

it is

a

frightful

He

place.

crushed and can see nothing.

7. On the

irony

.

gance."

This is

to 39:1.

of this verse, see notes

8. "There, they cry out. matters not, beyond the human what

Job 34:36-37

For Elihu, to be attracted, for

.

he had in

mind when

Job's trials know

May

different from those transgression,

understanding is to he said:

sphere of

of

slaps us

no

the

limit, because his

face,

and

it

"arro

answers are no

He

men of wickedness.

in the

what reason

act with

continually

adds sin upon speaks against

God.

For him, the

beyond the

world

world of

human

is

concern

devoid

a world

of

the concept of justice. There

God

can

is nothing in terms of which man can speak so that listen. Man among the jackals is left in fear and total uncertainty.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

1 And Elihu you.

There is

from who

continued to speak:

still another word

2 "But

I

me and

will show

fetch my knowledge 4 Indeed, my words are not false. One will

my Maker rightous. knowledge is among you.

afar to show

has

bit for

wait a

to be said for God. 3 I

simple

5 God is mighty and shows no contempt mighty in strength of heart. 6 He life to the guilty but grants judgment to the poor 7 and turns not His eyes from the righteous. gives no

As for kings exalted.

about to ascend the

8 But if they

are

reminds them what gressions.

they they He

10 He

bound in fetters

they have done

seats them

forever,

and

they

are

cannot

hear, they

13 The impious

afflicts them.

and

trapped in cords of affliction, 9 He

and that

they

can prevail over

their trans

11 If they can hear and obey, their years in delight. 12 But if

unveils their ears to admonition.

will complete their

why.2

throne, He

'

14

days in prosperity

will perish

of

heart

They

by

and

the sword, and pass on without

put on anger and will not

died

when their soul

was

cry

yet

out

for

knowing help when

young, for it lived

whores.3

among 15 But the

He tears from their poverty and unveils their ears by force, lured they into a broad place, away from the edge of free of stress, and their table is laden with sumptuous fare. 17 You have fulfilled the judgment of the guilty and so judgment and justice

16

then

poor

are

have laid hold

of you.

ransom pull you aside.

narrowness4

18 Beware lest 19 Will

fury

your cries

turn you to

for help,

derision

even with

or a great

determination

of

The Book of Job strength, people

bring

from their

have

you

life in

order to

distress?5

21 Beware, do

places.

20 Do

not pant

by

309

night eager to raze

wickedness, for that is

not turn to

what

poverty.6

chosen rather than

22 Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who can guide like Him? 23 Who His ways? or say to Him, 'Thou hast done injustice?'

can oversee

24 Remember then to

exalt

His

25

works of which mortals sing.

('adam) has beheld Him. Mortals have looked upon Him from 26 Behold, God is exalted but we cannot know. The number

Every

man

afar.7

cannot

be

itself into His upon

mist

of

His

years

and the moisture refines

nebula8

and

trickles back down

mankind.9

29 Who canopy?

food in

His light

spreads

He

with them

abundance.

its

strike at

against

the expanse of the clouds, the roarings under His

can comprehend

30 He

sea, 31 for

it to

27 He draws up droplets of water, 28 that flows together into

unearthed.

out over

pronounces

32 He

it

and covers over

judgment

covers over the

lightning

33 But the roaring tells

mark

the roots of the

the nations, and provides

upon

in His hand

of

and commands

Him, amassing His

anger

injustice."10

Comments 1 Elihu began the

chapter

.

said

for

God,"

as

if

consequent to what

from

he

what

he had

by

saying, "There is

was about

said

before. He

afar"

and stresses the truth of what

however, he

reiterates

his

speaks of

he is

commitment to

"As for kings

about

and

be

thought

his knowledge

Before going into it,

to the cause of the poor.

indeed

and

additional

"fetching

about to say.

justice

What he then has to say is, indeed, new, must be understood properly:

to

still another word more

to say were a kind of

bit shocking, but it

a

to ascend the throne, He seats them

forever,

and

they

are

exalted."

Taken in

and

Divine Right verses that

the

by itself, Kings."

of

follow,

verse must

this

verse reads much

However

and no matter

much

how

like

what we would call

critical those qualifications

of man

beyond the

visible universe

is

the

only

proper

home for

realm of man can support the

the political sphere. In that sense, there can be no such

founded, 2.

Self-Evident Truths

and therefore

Monarchy

in the light

is limited

Even foreign tyrants

God.

turn out to

be,

be faced in itself.

For Elihu, the home

or prepolitical

"the

this statement may be qualified in the

who

not

by

intend

upon

which

of which

it

Nothing

human,

thing

as

that

can

be

in the

is to say,

Natural Right,

the political regime

is to be

questioned.

inalienable rights, but

no good

man.

by

divine

become tools in the

providence.

unseen

hands

of

Interpretation

310

2Kings 24:2

And

Syrians,

of the

Ammon,

of

the

3. Literally,

LORD

the

the

LORD,

but the

his

of

Moabites,

he

which

the text is

reference

bands

and

by

of

destroy it,

Judah to spake

Chaldees,

of the

his

is clearly to

pagan

the

children

the prophets.

temple whores.

to 6:23.

note

obscure.

affluence not mislead

bands

and

according to

servants

translates: "Though you are

Greenberg

be

the case of the wicked, the justice of the case will

obsessed with anger at

of the

ones,"

4. sar just Job's feelings. See

5. The meaning

bands

and

and sent them against

word of

"holy

him bands

sent against

you; let

Let

upheld.

not turn you aside.

bribery

much

efforts?"

Will

your

limitless

you, all your powerful

wealth avail

The Revised Standard translates: "But

you

full

are

the judgment

of

wicked; judgment and justice seize you. Beware lest wrath entice scoffing: and let not the greatness of the ransom turn you aside. Will avail

to

keep

from distress, guilty man, has

you

6. Job, like a has, in that sense, become

or all the strayed

an outlaw

force

as one of them.

order, but he will go

Adam

that there

realm of

among Once there, he

entered

fully

just in

a world

in

which

cry

human

will

find himself to

determined to find justice

of them of

there

He

society.

What tempted him

other outlaws.

is nothing

your

of your

beyond the

unheard, nothing there will remind him

can remain

cept of

He may have

find

will

into

strength

to follow them may be of little importance.

be

the

of

you

and

to be found there. His cries

justice. For Elihu,

is

no

no son of

foundation for the

con

justice.

7. Therefore, insofar

as the

human horizons

point

beyond themselves, they providence. It is

its laws, but to God and His guiding not a time for inquiry, but a time for song and exaltation. 8. The root of the word we have translated as point not

to nature and

"nebula"

away"

or

"to

pulverize or

Exod. 30:34f.

beat into

The LORD onychia,

said to

Moses: Take

sweet

each), and

make an

it into powder,

and put part of

holy;

as

by

the

and you shall

it before the

tent of meeting where I shall meet with you; most

wear

frankincense (an

incense blended

perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and some of

"to

spices, stacte, and

and galbanum, sweet spices with pure

equal part of

means

a powder":

it

shall

beat

covenant

be for

in the

you

holy.

or

2Sam. 22:43

I beat them into

a powder

them and stamped them

In that sense,

we

have already

seen

like the dust

down like the

of the

earth, I crushed

mire of the streets.

the root used in Job:

31 1

The Book of Job Job 14:19

The

have

waters

worn the stones

away

and

its torrents have

washed

away the dust of the land.

As

noun, it first

a

Isa. 40:15

the of

imagery dust

Behold,

nothing, since

pan

like

the nations are

like the dust

islands

gathers

the

on

if they

as

on

in their

smallness and

their

is beyond

feels

a

drop

out of a

bucket, and are behold, he lifts up

the [pans of a] balance:

fleck.

were a

it force from the fact

no one

particles

says:

considered

the

dustlike

the

refers

When Isaiah

manyness.

man's

that although the number of particles

capacity to count, together they mean they are weighed in along with his

cheated when

purchase.

Often it is

used of a

Prov. 3:20

By

temporary

his knowledge the depths

[nebulae] drop Sometimes it is in itself of

Prov. 8:28

.

until

when

established

other times

Ps. 89:37

it looks

It

shall

he

the

be

broken up,

are

enduring thing, but

a more

is broken up daily: and the clouds

down the dew.

was once a mass of separate

individual fragments

At

whole which

God

made

made

of

a

one can still see that the nebula

shapeless,

them stand

firm the

fountains

more

bits,

the

almost

firmly

[nebulae]

skies

liquidlike

cluster

together as a whole:

above,

when

he

deep,

lasting:

established

for

ever as

the moon, and as a

faithful

witness

in heaven.

9.

10.

hand

('adam) According to Elihu,

man

God solely towards the

of

He them

spreads

He

His light

pronounces

is directed

the visible universe beyond man good of man and

out over

judgment

it

his

the

concerns:

and covers over the roots of the

upon

by

the nations, and provides

sea, for

food in

with

abundance.

If Job is tempted into that world, however, he will be faced only by the the constant roaring. To man, God's labyrinthine complex of deli

nebula and

cately interwoven incoherent nebula. Throughout the or

hides from

ends will seem no more than a

passage

mankind

Elihu

speaks of

roaring

mass of

anger, an

the way in which God covers over

the frightful origins as

they

manifest

themselves

in the

312

Interpretation

"roots

of

strikes."

"the

and

Elihu's

of

thing

sea"

the

lightning that that Job, by his demand

notion

barrier that God has

through the

Job 33:17

He

from

Job, too,

Pit,

the

I

was not

('adam)

from

the man

and

had

at one time

23:17

man

to turn

pride them

over)

such

destroyed

it is

now

for oneself,

man and

his destruction:

His

seal upon

by

the

sword.

darkness only because He had

the

murk

from

concealed

me.

for Job, but for him the question,

a struggle

their

away from action and conceal (cover (gebher). He will keep his soul back

thoughts:

by

and with one's own

seen some

to question, threatens to break

his life from perishing

[covered over] its thick

Even

between

the ears of mortals and places

unveils

discipline,

placed

We have already

and the need to see

human eyes, keeps reasserting itself

at each

turn.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

1 "At this too my heart trembles and leaps from its place. 2 Listen, listen well to the in His voice and the groaning that comes up out of His mouth. light2 3 Straight down it comes under the whole of heaven. His goes out to the rage1

earth, 4

ends of the

His

majestic

marvels with

pride,4

then,

and

but

none

voice.3

a

roaring that hear His

is

7 The

downpour

a

whole of

down into its lair 9 place.6

scattering

of

accomplish all that

Job. Stand

love

by

clouds are

how

they may know

in for

God turns

down the a

all

to

ice,

clouds with

topsyturvy

lash,

so

He founds it

and

face

upon

His

kept in

His

He

and the

of

light

steers them to

this fruitful

orb.

land.7

14 Hear this, God. 15 Do you know

cloud when the radiation

balance,

from its

the wide waters are

moisture,

course

each

shelter and settles

appears?8

the wonders of simple

16 Do

you

knowledge? 17

clothing keeps you warm when the land has respite from the 18 Can you beat the nebula into a great expanse, firm as a

your

wind?9

19 Tell

that

at attention and contemplate the wonders of

know how the

mirror cast

so

goes

commanded them upon the

the

charge upon

southern

of

its bolt. 12 On

He has or

sealed up beast that

a

tempest comes out of its chamber, cold

weighs

how God lays

or even

He has

when the

out

down,'

might.

10 The breath

ning-cloud spews

by

His

mankind5

like bronze. 11 He

13 Whether

the voice of

5 God thunders

ground,'

His works, 8 like

mortal as one of

cast

with

His voice, working great things, though we can never know them. says 'fall to the and to the rain 'pour and

6 For to the Snow He the rain

He thunders

voice can pursue.

like us

molten metal?

then,

what shall

we

say to Him? We

cannot

lay

out our case

The Book of Job because Can

of the

darkness. 20 Does anything get through he is about to be swallowed

a man speak when

21 Now,

not a

nebula, not till comes

a

a

abundant

in

in

FEAR15

light though it

spirit shall make them

find Him. He is

judgment; giving

ever

22 Out

rests

bright in the

blinding

shine

pure."

A frightful majesty

splendor.

mighty

the

sees

passing

golden

to Him when I speak?

up?10

man

none will

313

the north there

of

God. 23 The Al

upon

multiplying in might and in right12, 24 Thus hold

neither wrack nor

reason.13

mortals14

the one whom even the wise of heart have never

seen."

Comments 1. A

that Job has seen in

passion

Job 3:17

There the guilty

is

I

Job 9:6

Who

Job 12:6

Oh,

can cause the earth to reel

there

is

Man

God,

"lightning,"

word

he

uses

Elihu's

of

what

is the

place till

woman, short-lived

to do at this

came."

rage

its

pillars quake!

security for in their hand.

of robbers and

God Himself has

and, clearly enough, that is

placed and

of rage.

Most translate

point.

what

full

Elihu

means.

by

the

However,

the

everyday word for light, and that is indeed the way This way of speech gives one a much better sense of for the dramatic and his sense that the fearful lies close behind simple

first hits the

feeling

which

('adam) is born

from its

in the tents

peace enough

2. It is very hard to know word

cast off their rage and there rest those whose power

ease, I was not quiet, I had no rest, but

was not at

those who enrage

the word

earth, and in man:

spent.

Job 3:26

Job 14:1

God, in

ear.

the mundane. What can be more peaceful,

airy nothing than light, lion. roaring 3. With his warning words, "Listen, listen well to the Elihu is trying to give Job some picture in sound of what he will see if he wanders off into the and yet

in

it

a moment

can

become

more of an

a

rage,"

land

of

the Jackal

eyes and

human

4. Here

and should cross over

again we

superhuman,

Job 8:11

beyond the

To him, the divine

ears.

have

a

world of man with

will appear as

human

the bestial.

term wholly indifferent to good or

bad, human,

or subhuman:

Can

papyrus grow

[show its

majestic

pride]

where there

is

no

marsh?

feel the

Job 10:16

You

Job 35:12

There they cry out, but He

must

majestic pride of a

lion in

hunting

me?

gives no answer to the majestic pride of

evil men.

Job 38:11 Job 40:10

5.

"man"

Here

your

Come,

('adam)

[majestically]

deck

yourself out

proud waves must come

in

majestic pride and

to rest.

dignity.

314

of

Interpretation

6. Elihu likens the way in which man has been sealed up within the human understanding to a beast settled down in its den for the long from

shelter

7. The

in

fruitful orb, if he indifferent to its

which

what

edge

is among

front

of which

cated.

4

verse

if

only

a cold

unknown

topsyturvy

course

this

totally

we

hand

rely

within

on most

in

the human

to man, why, then, should he expect to understand

Chapter 36, Elihu had said, "One This turns

lay

can

He feels himself

He has

out

to be

out

his case,

of

who

has

simple

far from the truth. There is

certain that

it

will

to be swallowed up

a man about

no

way the hands of

by

things, the things

which are most at

sphere?

of

Job

itself

and orders

commands

to man a

of wondrous events.

even the simplest

you."

nebular world. outside of

would seem

hence the things

is beyond that

10. In

His

accomplishes

is full

world

and

in fact

are

man's

it may be in itself, is only

end.

means that

daily lives,

sphere,

God

face it,

to

were

8. For Elihu, the our

is

cave

winter

chaos to man.

ways

9. Elihu

is inhospitable. The

and nature

a world which, no matter what

frightful

and

blows

the cold wind

when

sphere

knowing

whether

be heard

by

a

no court

in

and adjudi

totally indifferent is directed from

that world

all-knowing, all-caring God

an

knowl

who

listens to

the prayers and needs of man or not. "Does anything get through to Him when I speak?"

For him, however, there is

God

loving can

face

a

On that

blinding 12. 13.

day

day

one

man will see that

an

all-

nebula which no man

a spirit will pass

from the

beginning

light shining bright in the nebula, though

lo'

This is

ya'aneh.

in English

answer,"

phrase, "And X one verse

out of the

On the torture."

there

by

to purify the

had

always

been

not one a man could see.

same word

that has occurred so often in that stock

said."

away,

begin

will

In

with the

fact,

the very next chapter, which is

words, "And the Lord answered Job

said."

and

hand, it

other a

play on words which I was not able to On the one hand the verb ('nh) means

a complicated

a single word.

answered and

Tempest

It is

by

is the

and

only

stormy

belief in

"judgment"

reproduce

"to

a steadfast

or consider.

11. Elihu's final belief is that nebula.

to

no alternative

other than the senseless roar of the

also means

particularly

haunting

"to

pun.

afflict"

or

In the

"to

torment"

case of a pun,

or even

"to

there is usually a

primary meaning, the one that is intended to hit the reader first. Then there is a kind of double take when he sees, "Yes, but it could also mean. The first meaning must always come before the second, sometimes by five years, but .

.

usually the time can only be measured in milliseconds. An essential part of the humor in the pun is the unspoken agreement between the punner and the punnee as

to which

this case, there

is

is

the

no

first meaning

millisecond;

and which

one cannot

meaning has the punch; but in is the first. The sudden

tell which

The Book of Job

that a horizon has been shared where least expected is missing, and

recognition

the

humor falls flat. The pun,

which was not a

and

fort than to feel that there is chaos, but for

Job,

there

tal."

The

means

reader

because in the have translated Job 4:12-12

.

.

.

We have

The

Job 4:17

rather close to the

English

will appear

or,

"mor

word

when used of a wound or a

disease,

the root used in that sense already:

seen

arrow was

mortal, though I was without transgression.

may find the complete list helpful. He must be a bit careful, it cannot be distinguished from the plural of the word we

plural

"man"

(gebher).

as

A

word stole upon me

in

gropes

Job 5:17-18

no answer.

"mortal"

"sick,"

or

"incurable."

Job 34:6

The

"weak,"

have

I have translated

word

Etymologically, it is, in fact,

root means

mute raucousness of

no greater torment than to

14. This is the last time that the in the text.

God behind the

loving

a

be

can

splendidly captures the relationship be Job. For Elihu there can be no greater com so

pun,

them, Elihu

tween the two of

it

-315

but my

a night vision when

only a trace, as sleep falls upon mortals. pure than his maker? ear caught

one

deep

(gebher) more Indeed, happy is the mortal whom God disciplines, that has no contempt for the bonds of the Almighty; for He causes pain, but He or a man

...

binds up, He wounds, but His hands heal. Job 7:1

Does

not a mortal

Job 7:17

What is

Job 9:1-2

Then Job

Job 10:4

Can You

Job 10:5

Can time

answered and

by

So, You have

Job 25:4

you

What is

How

And

apparent

here

to serve

on earth and

servant?

magnify him? I know, but then

all that

what

God?"

to

time means to man?

what

deceive Him

trashed all mortal

a mortal that

should consider

Do

your years

he

born

deceive

a mortal?

be

clean or one

born

of woman

himself just before God

or what can

of woman?

now what of

the

should

as you can

hope.

himself just?

can a mortal think

('adam), Job 28:4

You

think you can

cleanse anyone

Job 25:6

"Yes,

said,

justice

to

mean

Do

he

duty

hired

as our years?

Job 14:19

that

of a

see as mortals see?

Job 13:9 Job 15:14

a term of

a mortal that thou shouldst

can make a mortal's

pass

have

his days like the days

are not

these mortals, the maggots or the son of

man

worm.

Abandoned

by

every

passer

by, destitute

of all

humanity, they

wander.

Job 28:13 Job 32:8 Job 33:12

No

mortal

knows its

value.

But surely there is a spirit in mortals, that gives him understanding. I

will answer

you,

for God is

greater

a

breath

than

any

of the

Almighty

mortal.

316*

Interpretation It may be in a dream, or in a vision of the night, when heavy sleep falls upon mortals as they slumber in their beds. He unveils the ears of mortals and places His seal upon their

Job 33:15

Job 33:16

discipline, Job 33:26

Job 33:27

('adam) away from

to turn man

Let him but see

His face

his

sense of

supplicate unto

with shouts of

have

"God

who

Job

be

accepted and

to

mortal man

right,

say, "I have

and

my

settled."

been

not

of mortals and

with what was

has thrown

aside all

claims

my

me"

made against

and

transgression."

I

shall

shall return

squarely in front

stand

false the judgment though

action and conceal

righteousness.

Let him only

Job 34:4-8

he

and

joy, for He

sinned; I have dealt perversely accounts

God

was without

What

for

"The

man

justice,''

"I declare

arrow was

(gebher) is

mortal,

there like

drinks up mockery as if it were water, joins company with deal in wickedness and walks with mortal men of evil?

who

those who

And so,

Job 34:10

Job 34:34-35

Men

of

heart, hear

you men of

Almighty

and the

heart,

say "Job has

from and

me; far be God

from injustice

evil.

every

(gebher) who listen to knowledge, and his words lack

me will

wise man

spoken without

insight."

Job 34:36

Job's

May

know

trials

different from those

of

Job 36:24

Remember then to

Job 36:25

Mortals have looked

Job 37:7-9

The

exalt

and settles

His

upon

whole of mankind

each mortal as one of

limit, because his

no

answers are no

the men of wickedness. works of which mortals sing.

Him from

He has

His works, like

down into its lair

afar.

up so that they may know beast that goes in for shelter

sealed a

its

when the tempest comes out of

chamber, cold from

Job 37:24

Thus

mortals

heart have

15. In

a

its scattering place. hold in FEAR the one

whom even the wise of

never seen.

like manner, this is the last time that the

"FEAR"

word

will appear

in the text.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

1 And the

LORD1

answered

one that makes counsel your

loins like

4 Where

a man

dark

by

Job

(gebher): I

were you when

out of

words that

the

Tempest

have

will question

no

and said:

meaning?2

you, and you

3

2 "Who is this Come,3

must

let

gird

me

up know.

I laid the foundations

of the earth? Speak up, if you know! 5 Who fixed its measurements, if you have any understanding? Who stretched a measuring line round it 6 and into what were its pylons fixed? Who set the cornerstone 7 as the morning stars sang together, and the sons of GOD joy?5 all shouted for 8 Who closed up the sea behind the double door when first

it

burst6

out of the womb

9

when

I

clothed

it in

a cloud and swaddled

it in

mist,7

317

The Book of Job 10

my law

imposing

said, 'To this

up the bars and the double doors: 11 and but no farther. Here your proud waves must may come,

upon

point you

it,

and put

rest.'

come

to

12 Have

15 But the light is

garment.

the morning,

you yet commanded

place, 13 to grab hold of the 14 All is as transformed as

corners of clay9

the earth and

by

stamped

withheld

taught the dawn to know its

or

a

and

from the wicked,

wicked?8

the

winnow out

seal,10

fixed"

dye in

as

and the uplifted arm

a

is

broken.12

16 Have down

to you, or

have

you seen

for

walk14

a

them

unveiled

the gates of the Shadow of Death16? 18 Have

the expanse of the earth? If you know

you pondered

or gone

death15

the cranny in the deep? 17 Have the gates of

by

selves

seas,13

the source of the

you ever come upon

things, declare

these

all

them!

19 Which is the

road to

dwelling

the

light?

of

is the

and which

place of

home?17 darkness, 20 that you may take it to its borders and know the way to its 21 You know, for even then, you were born, and the number of your days is great.18

22 Have 23

which

and of

24

in

what paths

25 Who

for the or

I have laid

aside

the canals

cleaved

thunder,20

the

voice of

devastation

and the

28 Does the

has

rain

have

a

children?

flooding

of

battle

life21

you

33 Do

lead

out

of

where no man

make a surfeit of

of the

with a

the

deep

chain, or

in its time heaven,26

is,

the

bloom?22

of

birth to the frost

face

and the

know the laws

you

land

begets the drops

Mazzaroth25

the

a

budding field

and who

stone,

in

in it, 27 to

and who gave

the

east wind cast about

torrent and made a pathway

might rain

bind the Pleiades together

you

Orion? 32 Can

it

and make a

father?

as

for the

so that

human

no

does ice emerge,

belly

31 Did

26

devastated,

Water draws itself up, tight

her

for the days

a time of narrowness and

is light dispersed? How is the

a wilderness that

whose

for

hail

of

war?19

By

earth?

the storehouses of snow, or seen the vaults

you come upon

dew? 29 From

of

heaven?23

clutches untie

or guide

to

30

itself.24

the reins of

the Bear

and can you

with

impose its

earth?27

authority on the 34 Can you raise water? J'

35 If

your voice

you send out the

to the clouds and

lightning,

it

will

go?

be

covered

in

a torrent of

Will it say to you, 'Here

am

?28

36 Who outward can

tip

placed

form?29

the

wisdom

37 And

bottles

who

of the

at

is

the secret core and gave wise enough

sky, 38 to

liquify

intelligibility

to the

to tell the tale of the nebula? Who

the dust and cast

it into

congealed

clods?

39 Can its

cubs

40

hunt up prey for the lioness, and bring to fulfillment the life in they crouch in their dens or lie in ambush in their lairs? 41 Who

you

as

prepares a catch

for the

wanders about without

raven when

food?"30

his young cry

out to

God for help,

and

he

318

Interpretation

Comments 1. This is the first time the

has been

word

Chapter 2.

used since

2. Verse 2 is clearly intended as a rhetorical question, and yet, unlike most questions, the answer is by no means obvious. Is the intended answer

rhetorical "Job,"

is it "Elihu"? Perhaps

or

a position

to ask the question.

very moving fact that the It is roughly equivalent to the English word command into a plea or a request, or, as in our case, an invita

3. This is my Lord

in

we are not yet

all-too-poor attempt to capture the

"please"

na'

the word

uses

and converts a

.

it is

tion. Needless to say

Lord

a word the

uses

very rarely,

instance

and each

requires our close attention.

4. In

to the

contradistinction

word which the

Tempest

word

discussed in the

for man,

uses

Job 37:24, the

note to

have translated

and which we

as man

strong."

I was quite tempted to meaning "to be have been closer than simply using the word ('adam). My only reason for not doing so is that there is another, some although that modified, form of the word which does in fact mean

(gebher), translate

comes

it

from

a root

"hero,"

as

which would

"man"

"hero,"

what

form is The

in the Book

never used

to fulfill the

Job

answered and said

in

that night

and now

What need

he is

being

more can

for Job to

would

be

asked

be

it

which

"May

the

'A

was said

yet

If Elihu

help

of some

Job with

my birth be lost (GEBHER) has been of

and with

it

conceived."

to gird his loins and become that man.

said?

nearly right, there

were not

his loins; and yet, if Elihu in it either.

Again, it may be

first words, urging him

own

day

man

gird

no point

Job 3:3

his

inherent in his birth:

promise

Job 3:3

Job.

of

to be reminding Job of

voice seems

night

simply right,

would

in

"May

which

it

the

be

no

perhaps there

to the reader to see the complete

answered and said

it that

were

list:

of my birth be lost and 'A MAN (GEBHER) has been

day

was said

conceived."

Job 3:20,23

Why does

He

life to the bitter

been lost

and whom

Job 10:5

Can time

Job 14:10

But

Job 14:14

If

Job 16:21

Will

('adam) Job 22:2

"Can can

Job 33:16-18

be

He

...

You

no one argue

for

will

whose

or

way has

about.

he

a man

perishes and

come

is

back to life

(gebher) before God

no more. again? as a man

friend?"

should

do for

a man

(gebher) be

a

has consumed,

(gebher)

time means to man?

what

(gebher) dies, he

(gebher) dies,

of use to a

whom toil

or to a man

God has hedged

mean to

when a man

a man

light to those

give

of soul?

of

any

use to

his God

as a prudent man

friend?

unveils the ears of mortals and places

His

seal upon their

The Book of Job discipline, from the Job 33:29-30

('adam) away from

to turn man

(gebher)

man

action and conceal pride

his life from perishing

and

.

-319

by

the sword.

Yes, God will do all these things two or three times for a man (gebher), to bring his soul back from the Muck to be made bright

by Job 34:7-8

light

the

What if it

life.

of

(gebher) is

man

like Job

there

drinks up mockery

who

as

water, joins company with those who deal in wickedness

were

and walks with men of evil?

Job 34:9

For he has said, 'It is

Job 34:34

Men

of

heart,

and

say 'Job has

will

(gebher)

of no use to a man

he be in

that

favor.'

GOD's

(gebhef) who listen to me knowledge, and his words lack

wise man

every

spoken without

insight.'

Job 38:3

Come, you,

Job 40:7

Come,

5. The LORD begins

same

They

"lines,"

gird

that measurement, and word

is

let

Dan. 7:2

hence

Son

Ezek. 32:2

out of

heaven

of

say are

like

its

a man

(gebher). I

will question

know.

me

bevy

of

he

and

can

in terms

only

in my

by

night,

stirring up [bursting]

raise a

man,

vision

a monster

burst to his

Yet

Ps. 22:9

thou art

safe upon

my

Writhe

Mic. 4:10

in

wonder.

lamentation

(TAN)

leams

in them

and of

over

and

behold,

the four

sea."

the great

Pharaoh

king

of

Egypt,

and

lion among the nations, but you in the seas; you burst forth in your rivers,

feet,

and

foul their

rivers."

confident that the

Jordan

mouth.

he

who

mother's

and

At the

"pylons,"

consider yourself a

Though the river rage, he is unalarmed, will

stand

"foundations,"

such as

seas and the monsters

raging

trouble the waters with your

Job 40:23

one right after the

questions,

mother's womb.

saw

were

him: "You

to

will question

number was used.

Daniel said, "I winds of

(gebher). I

that Job can very well understand. He also

often used of the

it bursts forth

loins like

your

a man

know.

me

beyond Job,

"cornerstones"

a child as

let

questions are couched

and

6. This

up

loins like

your

with a whole

infinitely

are

time, the

up

and you must

you,

other.

gird

and you must

burst

me

from the womb; thou didst

keep

me

breasts.

burst, O daughter

of

Zion, like

a woman

in travail; for

forth from the city and dwell in the open country; to Babylon. There you shall be rescued, there the LORD

now you shall go you shall go

will redeem you

Here the

beginning

or as a primordial waters of and

7. As

of all things

is

of your enemies

not presented as

a

"Let it

be"

or as a

"making."

"creation"

birth

from the hand

letting

The passage, in mixing the waters of birth with the chaos, presents God more as a midwife, controlling the

things come forth in

compared

number and order.

to verses 4 through

7,

these verses, with words

like

"burst,"

320

Interpretation

"womb,"

"swaddle,"

"cloth,"

those things which are older than the arts. This

from the

ment

be

by

his arts,

masculine workman and

It is

fixing

into something

of pylons

a movement

is in fact

movement

which cause

the application of measurement to a world

forceful

from the

seem to mark a movement

and

outside of

arts to

a move

things to come to

itself,

by

and

the

more solid than themselves.

to another and older kind of coming to

be,

that

brings forth

measurelessly from within itself. Thus far, the movement seems tentative and ambiguous. The Voice presents itself as imposing its law upon the sea, and yet "clothing"

it

"swaddling."

finding

as

a

itself to

also shows

It does

feminine

possess the more

not speak of

a proper place

itself

and of

virtues of

sea,"

"trampling

as

on

but

the tier of the

majesty."

for its "proud

Another way of looking at the problem is to consider the distinction between creating God and a nurturing God. Fundamental to this question is Aristotle's "Of the things that are,

statement:

by

some are

the foremost of which is art. Aristotle implies that the

nature

essentially

by

that are made

means

manmade, but have

not

Here, too, we meet

is

within

be drawn from the things

no conclusion to

hence rely

upon

man, concerning the things that are

themselves their own source of motion and rest.

the artisan God has within Himself the "to

shapes and molds

God

that there

man and

be"

according to His plan, while the more

in the Book

is in the thing itself. 8. Winnowing is a

of

by other discovery of

nature, and some are

causes,"

Job

allows

strange and

for the

interesting

of

the object. He

feminine, nurturing

emergence of the

"to

be,"

which

There is the wheat,

process.

which

because it is good, and there is the chaff, which one does not want because it is not good; but there they lie all mixed up together. One's first one wants

inclination

be to

the chaff, chaff by chaff. Winnowing, though, very different process and calls for another kind of spirit. In winnowing, the whole is tossed lightly in a blanket. The wind carries off the chaff, or most of it,

is

would

pick out

a

and the

wheat, because it is more stable and weighty, tumbles safely back into

blanket. The farmer

the

rejoices with

his care, a bit of chaff may have may have fallen to the ground. all

9. If

one

looks

at the

way the

it is

beginning

into

which we come and go.

"matter,"

or

to

be

used quite

something like

Job 4:19

what of

but dust? He Job 10:9

his flour though he knows that in

gotten

through,

for clay,

author uses the word

generally

as the

dead

In that sense, it takes what

and a grain or

Elihu

those who

means

dwell in

will crush them

Remember that You

like

by a

on

the

house

spite of

two of

wheat

one can see that

medium out of which and

something

of what we call

"nebula."

of

clay,

whose

foundation is

a moth.

made me as

clay

and that

You

will return me to

dust. Job 13:12

Your clay.

aphorisms are proverbs of ash, your

bulwarks, bulwarks

of

The Book of Job Job 27:16

If he were

should pile

like dust,

silver

It throws

Job 33:6

Here I am, just

imagery

into the

me

from

was nipped

of

mire and

own

clay

Woe to him

we are all

he

and

potter

to do.

O house

thou art our the

vessel

hand, Jer. 18:6

in the

object made of

his Maker,

work of

he

should

be

by

aware.

of

Israel,

I

can

Father; we thy hand.

do

not

is

hotam

has

in itself,

the

are you

the clay, and thou art our

are

meant

of

his

has done?

so are you

is here translated

by

says

in my

the English

of which

the

reader

up."

uncleanness or

potter

hand,

interesting history,

"to stop

his

this

potter's

body

for is

a

discharge:

stopped

his

whether

from discharge, it

feeling

of permanence and

something safely

out of

safety, either as a

thing

the way.

In the dark he tunnels his way into houses which are him by day, since he does not know the light.

Job 24:16

a seal or

in him.

acquires a

or as

bearing

an earthen vessel with

with you as

which

a most

his discharge,

runs with

uncleanness

From there it safe

word

seal,"

a

Originally, it

body

clay

making of clay was spoiled in the potter's it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the

And this is the law

Lev. 15:3

Bible,

the

was

reworked

Hebrew

single

"stamped

of

handles?"

LORD. Behold, like the clay in the hand, O house of Israel.

10. The

books

fashions it, "What

who

the

phrase

other

is constantly likened to the clay

man

who strives with

Yet, O LORD, And the

and ashes.

man, like the pot, but unlike the clay, has his

a

Does the clay say to him making"? or "Your work has no

potter;

I become like dust

often appears

potter!

Jer. 18:4

if it

as

be."

shape, his own "to

Isa. 64:8

his clothing

clay.

The implication is that

Isa. 45:9

out

standing in for God, though I too

as you wished,

especially in Isaiah and Jeremiah, in them itself, whereas in this speech he is like the signet.

lay

and

clay,

Job 30:19

While the

up

321

-

sealed

up tight

against

Job 14:17

My

transgression would

plaster over

Then, in its

king

upon

nominal

my

be

sealed

up in

a pouch and

You

would

perversions.

form, it

comes

to be

used as a signet or seal placed

by

his letter.

1 Kings 21:8

So

she wrote

seal, and she with

letters in Ahab's

sent

the

Naboth in his

name and sealed

letters to the

city.

elders and

them

with

the nobles who

his dwelt

a

322

Interpretation

In that sense, it that the object

is

it is

what

Esther 8:8

thing's character, and becomes a kind of guarantee

marks a

And

you

may

the

king,

name of

in the

and will continue to

what

it has become.

write as you please with regard

and seal

it

Jews, in

to the

ring; for

the king's

with

and sealed with the

king

the

name of

be

king's

the

an edict written

ring

be

cannot

revoked.

We have already

seen the word

Job 33:16-18

He

the ears of mortals

unveils

discipline, from the

going in that direction:

man

One is tb\

Hebrew

are two

or that which

"to

eventually became

word

of the two

is impressed

other

hand,

The

wax

suggestion

be

used

from the

root

ring,

its form. This

second

postbiblical word

tebha',

It is

interesting

which emphasizes

outside.

a signet

The

the

to note that

fact that the

author of

Job,

on the

is that for Greek

our

author, the

word

hotam is

beginning

to acquire

"nature."

word physis or

author chooses a very forceful word. In biblical Hebrew the only in the reflexive mood. Even at its weakest, it means "to firm," self or "to stand in the sense of being fully present. It can

used to mean

one's actions.

"to take

A full list

stand,"

in the

a

of

sense of

the other occurrences

taking full responsibility

in the Book

of

Job

should

help:

Job 1 :6

One

Job 2:1

One

Job 33:5

Lay

Job 41:10

No

day day

There is

also an

the

Sons

of

GOD

came to present

themselves

the

Sons

of

GOD

came to present

themselves

your case out

one

is

would stand

help.

"nature."

for

Again the

.

is

of

for the

ring."

from the Biblical word

to give the seal

the taking-off place

"signet

chooses the one which emphasizes the guaranteed character of the

present one's

be

into the

upon the object

the character of the

11

or

itself.

object

root

"seal"

word

becomes the

words, the tradition chose the root

mark

for

t_ebha'th

Hence

to translate the Greek word physis, or

used

also

the sword.

for the English

words

dip."

"dipped"

is

by

the other is tabba 'ath. It comes

hotam;

our word

which means

their

seal upon

('adam) away from action and conceal pride (gebher). He will keep his soul back from the pit and

his life from perishing

There

His

and places

to turn man

so

before

brutal

before

interesting

me and

as to rouse

take your stand.

him

up.

Now,

who

is that

one who

me?

series of uses

in Exodus

which

may be

of some

The Book of Job Exod. 9: 1 3

323

Then the LORD

said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning and before Pharaoh, and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, the God the Hebrews, "Let my people go, that they may serve And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the

stand

'

"

me."

of

Exod. 14:13

salvation of the

Egyptians

LORD,

which

he

today, Then Moses brought the people

Exod. 19:17

they Exod. 34:5

foot

took their stand at the

In the

The It

it

today; for the

and

him there,

has been dyed red,

and

has truly become a the object in front of me as

then the garment

to think

of me

God;

meet

cloud and stood with

as much a part of

be wrong

camp to

LORD.

a white garment

fixed,

well

the

mountain.

the white garment as the

of

red garment.

or

has transformed the clay into

or character

mark,

a

pot, and a

is.

chaff of our

because the

former

example can

character of the chaff

is this difference in their fact that they

the

is

red color

would

you

way, the clay cannot be considered to be the truth behind the

same

now

The

has been

or

behind the

The seal,

pot. pot

firm

else.

lying

truth

be that if

argument seems to

red garment.

anything

out of

the

of

And the LORD descended in the

the dye stands

for

you shall never see

and proclaimed the name of the

12. The

will work

again."

whom you see

are

be

separated

is different from

from the

wheat

own characters that causes the separation

both tossed

the same

with

precisely

the character of the wheat. It

force

and

blown

in

by

spite of

the same

wind.

The

argument as a whole

man, the realm

may

not

being

be

of

the

reducible

Jackal,

as

it is,

as a

reply to Elihu. The world beyond in itself and by the human eye,

considered

to the nebulae. The beings in

hence their

and

is intended

own strivings and ambitions

it may each have their apart from any human

own con

may be open to them. 13. Job had once said:

cern, yet

man

Job 7:12

He is

now

Am I the

being

character of

reflexive

form

immediately

catch

used

sea.

and

2.1

of

it

He has

course, be

"Oh,"

inviting "going

not come

for

for the

used with great

said the

character of

a sense of aimless

to describe God

senses that

that You set watch over me?

the rather strange concatenation of the

and so carries with

Eve. It can,

Job 1:7

face that

the object and the relaxed,

joy. When it is

and

to

asked

14. I have tried to

sea or some monster

the

verb.

freedom

went

intended

sake of

in the Garden,

checking up

on

one

Adam

irony.

Satan to THE LORD "wandering go for a

down there to

It is in the

and

walk"

a

walk."

just

foreboding

around

Earth,

324

Interpretation

Job 18:7-8

His

'Clouds

if the Voice

as

world

were

beyond the

Be

He

as

nothing

strolls

forbid

to seduce Job into that frightful and

trying

been

always

man:

they loathed any kind

I

what

from those

suffer

up from the gates of death, food, and they drew near to the

liftest

who

by

shunned

O LORD! Behold

gracious to me,

hate me, O thou Ps. 107:18

can see

world of man.

15. Those that have Ps. 9:13

He

and

lead him into

will

the trap.

heaven.'

the circuit of

round

It is

Him

obscure

feet

own

net, and he will walk himself right into

a

Job 22:14

den

up, for his

trip him

plans will

who

me

of

gates of

death.

16. The Shadow

of

the tradition has connected it with "the Place of

Death;

Jackal."

the

Our heart has

Ps. 44: 1 8

not

turned

way, that thou shouldst the

covered us with

It has been in the horrid haven had

of

air now

Shadow

for

Job 3:1-8

day

of

"May

day

day

with

his

opened

the

was said

be

warms the counted months.

joy lay

day

a

of

in it. Those

and

first

saw

it

kind

as a

of

his first

words.

his day. Job

answered and

with

it that

darkness.

not seek

night

days

the

who

May

upon

dwell

above

murk consume

of the year or enter night

on

high

it; but let darkness

a cloud

the

God from

become hard

despise the sea, will curse it.

it.

May

and the

May

that

out of

which

that night that

into the

it

Shadow

it

number of

not

be

its

and sterile with no sound of

and those who are

determined to

Leviathan

Job is invited to

birth

came out of

the

had been

its

jackals,

my birth be lost in oblivion and 'A MAN (GEBHER) has been

among Thus shall that

open

much about

by

departed from thy

Death.

time now. Job

day terrify it. Let the

When he enters, that

Death

our steps

the place of

mouth and spurned

any brightness radiate Death redeem it, and may

shall

in

of

nor

who

have

us

conceiv

it

which

that

now

of

long

a

his birth

Then, Job said

And

nor

things unwanted, the dark and dangerous place to which Job

consigned the

in

back,

have broken

and

and

drop in for a visit. day will be there waiting for him,

conception,

Tempest, his

conceived so

the

fear

of

gates.

main goal will

long

death

see, the remainder of

and as we

and

know from the first be to become that

will

learn

words that

man

(gebher)

ago.

are central to the theme of the

Job's

in it he

education

is nothing

book,

and, as

more than a stroll

we

down

325

The Book of Job

Perhaps nothing of what is can be so transformed or disfigured and contorted as the face of death as it steps through the curtain drawn between the world of man and The

the world of nature.

is the truth behind the

either

17. Job of

commonplace

learn to

must

darkness. The

Elihu had one who

suggested.

knows

The

beyond the borders

will wander and must

it is

not clear that

is the

and which

mask?

into

the light and

of

the dark cannot be kept out

verse to

by hiding

be gently

in

the place

cave, as

a

home

escorted

be intended sarcastically, but that

may be reminding Job

voice

and

by

the way.

18. Some take this case.

They

Which is the face

other.

peer

monsters of

becomes the terrifying,

of some

deep-seated

be the

need not

kinship

he has

with

an antique whole.

19. In their

own

home,

the monsters

have

a role

to play.

than I have been cleverly "cast in the English translation. The three verbs,

20. This

is

passage

able

crafted

much more

"dispersed,"

capture

"cleaved,"

and

very

gentle

all mean the same

word,

a violent word.

is

and then there

Similarly,

torrent, and, finally, for the voice of the

thing, "to divide into parts"; but the first is a a clear progression to the last, which is quite

is the

there

we are at a

to

about

motion

loss to know

from light to

what

wind

flooding

to

it takes to "make

a

pathway

thunder."

showing him the forces that were needed to bring the inanimate world into being. They are only a part of the forces which he has "laid aside for a time of narrowness and for the days of battle and of God begins Job's

education

by

war."

In this

21.

man

account more seems

to be required than a "let there

.

not understand: a

budding field

which

man, but for all that it may be the

of

beautiful to Job.

23. Again, are

.

('adam)

22. This is the thing that Elihu could is for its own sake and not for the sake more

be.

beginning

as we caught our

first

to play an equal role

which comes out of the

Tempest is

in

glimpse

verse

8,

in the foundation unique

male and

of all

female

origins

things. This stance

to the Book of Job. In rhetoric and

imagery, the closest book in the Bible to the Book of Job is the Book of Psalms; and yet, even there, if one considers the complete list of references to bellies and wombs in it, one sees that, in contradistinction to the Book of Job, the female

is

always somewhat subordinate:

from

Ps. 17:14

portion

mortals

hand, O LORD

world.

May

their

from

mortals whose

bellies be filled

with what

stored

mother's

my Ps. 22:10

your

you up for them; may their children have more than enough; may they leave something over to their little ones. Yet it was you who took me from the womb; you kept me safe

have

Ps. 22:9

by

in life is in this

you

breast.

from my birth, have been my God.

On

you

I

on

was cast

and since

my

mother

bore

me

326

Interpretation

Ps. 31:9

Be

gracious to me,

O LORD, for I

am

in distress; my

away from grief, my soul and body also. The wicked go astray from the womb; they speaking lies.

Ps. 58:3

Ps. 71:6

err

eye wastes

from their birth,

Upon you I have leaned from my birth; it was you who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you. Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day you lead

Ps. 110:3

forces

your

like dew, Ps. 127:3

Sons

on

holy

the

mountains.

From the

womb of

the morning,

your youth will come to you.

indeed

are

a

heritage from the LORD, the fruit

of the womb a

reward.

Ps. 139:13

For it

in my

24. The double Its

autonomy.

25. The

name of one of

26. This

you

knit

me

together

use of

the reflexive even gives the water a certain amount of

is something it does to itself. meaning of this word is not known, but it

reaction

exact

the

have the

two

to be the

only occurs in one other passage in the Bible force that it acquires in this one:

and

does

same

Considerest

Jer. 33:24f.

seems

constellations.

expression

not seem to

formed my inward parts;

was you who

mother's womb.

families

thou not what this people

have spoken, saying, The

the LORD hath chosen, he hath

which

even cast

them

they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them. Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the LAWS OF HEAVEN off?

and

thus

earth; Then

will

servant, so that I seed of

I

cast

will not

Abraham, Isaac,

return, and have mercy

27. Men their

and

on

touchability it

each

night

while

were awesome. or change

Yet God's

its

It

all

his

seed to

and

be

will cause

David my

rulers over the

their

captivity to

them.

other

moved

Jacob,

seed of

of

any Jacob: for I

were always aware of a world

heads

could stir

away the

take

beyond things

according

their reach that sparkled over slept.

to

its

Its

own

vastness

and

paths, and

un-

no man

course.

Job

have been banal unless Job were being face those well-known, everyday facts in a way in which no man ever had. If Job is to step beyond the limits of man, and into the realm of his question to

would

asked to

brotherhood

with the Jackal, as he will surely do in the chapters which follow, banal facts, and others, must be faced again. In the Book of Genesis, the sun, moon, and stars were to be regarded as little more than the servants of man, given to him by an all-loving God "to separate the day from the night"; and "to be for signs and for seasons and for days and

those

years."

But Job is

The Mazzaroth

being

faced

comes out

with

Heaven."

something called "the Laws of the in its own time, indifferent to good times and

to bad

327

The Book of Job times, to times

of war, and to

an

cold

unbearably

times of

To

peace.

indifference in the

that

some

would

have

signified

to human affairs. Not to see it as

stars

twinkling for us, but to allow it to twinkle for itself was Job's first lesson. 28. Job must be prepared not only for a world whose inhabitants have ends and ways of

sudden as

their own unrelated to man. There will also be those that strike of a

if they had intention

without purpose and were

ready to go, but took

no aim.

The full force

felt

by

which

reminding

inheres in the

ourselves of the conditions under which

And it

Gen. 22: 1

came

Abraham,

And Isaac

wood:

but

he

so that

unto

him, My

And he Here

could not

And Israel

And unto

when

him

said, I

I

and

and

heaven,

and

eldest

father:

eyes were

son, and am

said

I.

he said,

and

in

me

a

dream,

saying, Jacob:

thy brethren feed

not

thee unto them.

And he

the

flock in

said to

him,

Israel in the

visions of

he turned

bush,

and

called

Samuel:

lie down

not;

and

said, Here am

and

and

that the

Then Eli

am

Behold, Here before his

called

again.

thou

And he

calledst me.

went and

lay

am

I. And

And he

down. And

again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to

I; for

thou

said, Here

LORD had

called

answered, Here

God

Moses, Moses. And

he answered, Here

I; for

didst

call me.

called not, my son; lie down again. And the LORD called Samuel again

Eli,

aside to see,

said,

I.

am

said, Here am

perceived

the night, and said,

said, Here am I.

called yet

and went to

ISam. 12:3f.

will send

the LORD saw that

Eli,

called

LORD

Eli,

My

and said,

out of the midst of the

ran unto

the

out of

him, Behold, Here

said unto

Joseph, Do

said unto

That the LORD

he

him

see, he called Esau his

his father,

spake unto

he said, Here ISam. 3:4

called unto

he said, Here am I. when Isaac was old, and his

and

I.

am

Jacob, Jacob. And he Exod. 3:4

and the

offering?

I.

am

And God

Gen. 46: 2

burnt

a

thou, my son? of God spake unto

angel

Shechem? come,

Here

father:

who art

And I said, Here

Gen. 37:13

he

son: and

came unto

I;

am

And the

Gen. 31:11

LORD

My

and said,

And he said, Behold the fire

son.

came to pass, that

dim, Gen. 27:18

the

angel of

Abraham, Abraham:

And it

Gen. 27:1

ISam 3:16

he said, Behold, Here

and

Abraham his father,

I, my

am

is the lamb for

where

And the said,

ISam. 3:8

him, Abraham:

spake unto

he said, Here

and

Gen. 22: 1 1

to pass after these things, that God did tempt

and said unto

I.

am

Gen. 22:7

I,"

can only be been used: have they

translated "Here am

word

Samuel,

am

the third time.

I; for

called

the

and said,

And he answered, I

thou

didst

And he

call me.

arose

And Eli

child.

Samuel, my

son.

And he

I.

am

I:

witness against me

anointed: whose ox

have I

before the LORD,

taken? or whose ass

and

have I

Interpretation

328

taken? or whom

I

and

have I defrauded?

hand have I

whose

will restore

it

Here

am

And

2Sam. 1:7

son of

Ahitub. And he answered,

he looked behind him, he

when

answered

him,

am

am

I

I. And he an

saw

But if he thus say, I have let him do to

and called unto me.

me,

me, Who art thou?

said unto

Amalekite. And he

Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for me, because my life is yet whole in me. 2Sam. 15:26

or of

therewith?

I, my lord.

And I answered, Here And I

oppressed?

mine eyes

you.

And Saul said, Hear now, thou

ISam. 22:12

have I

whom

any bribe to blind

received

said unto me

anguish

is

delight in thee; behold, Here

no

again,

come upon

am

I,

him.

me as seemeth good unto

29. The meaning of the text is obscure. Greenberg translates: "Who put The Re in the hidden parts? Who gave understanding to the mind?"

wisdom

Standard translates: "Who

vised

in the

put wisdom

standing to the mist? King James translates: "Who Who gave understanding to the

clouds?

or given

under

in the inward

put wisdom

heart?"

parts?

The first

problem

is

b'tuhor*. It is

with the word

word that appears only once in the whole of the known

is

quite sure what

it

All

means.

"overspread,"

overlay,"

"to

"in."

So far

means

vocalic mode of the tu. so we

have

come

to see

the u might

I

as

Is it

be

dope it out, the

to the

the Revised

"covering"

thing, but

with a

"covered"

in Psalm 51:8 (RS 51:6), translates: "thou desirest truth in the inward ther,

we must

This time The

look

we

at the other problematic

do have

a true

Semitic root skh or skh

what a watchman

hopax

in Aramaic

does. In Syriac it

surrounds

For

part of

"to

"to

means

root?

If

thing. In

dealing

fact,

the

Revised Standard

push the argument

fur

fshichwai.

word,

legominon; means

the

we are not

where even the

To

the w-type

to be a cloud. But

"hidden"

being."

be

reasons which we will

or

word also appears

root twh

and that the

instead. In that case,

with a

from the

"coverer"

Standard takes the

and no one

secure,"

had been

act of covering.

a sign of the passive

literature)

comes

problem

a shred of the w which

a noun related

later,

it

seem to agree that

etc., rather from tbh, "to

can

hopax legominon

almost a

(a

and so we must go

fishing.

watch,"

in the

hope,"

and

doing

sense of

in Arabic "to

com

plain."

In not

connection with this sense of

been

able

tion of tahot as

another

would account

for

in the

ularly interesting took it as rhetorically part of

is

a

tradition

which

I have

"mist."

This, I

presume, is

what

led to the transla

"cloud."

Gersonides has

As

there

to track down that relates it to a celestial appearance. Hence the

Revised Standard translates:

This

"watching,"

tradition which relates it

such

translations

or

"heart."

James translators, to "inward

case of the

parallel

as

more to the act of seeing.

"mind"

King

since

This is

partic

they obviously

part."

this argument, there is another and more common word

from the

The Book of Job same

root, maskit,

means a

The

"carved

relation

for the Book 30. If Job these

of

which can

or an

between inner

"imagination,"

mean

but

which more often

"image"; hence my translation. and outward

intelligibility is,

of

course,

central

Job.

can gird

fearful forces,

seemed at war.

indeed

figure"

329

his loins

all

and stand

before

in delicate balance,

all

these

each a part of

things, he

will see

that with which it